Collide
by digitalprints
Summary: It was suppose to be a one night stand. One night to release his pent up emotions. One night for her to live and let go. But for Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, that one night soon turned into something more, so much more.
1. Exposition

_AN:_ Well, I'm back. I have started writing another short story but its still in its early stages and to be honest, I'm stuck so here I am, dabbling with one-shots again. And yes, this will remain a two-shot unless for some crazy reason, I get inspired and decide to make it into a full blown story. But don't hold your breath.

Enjoy.

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own anything.

_

* * *

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The dawn is breaking  
A light shining through  
You're barely waking  
And I'm tangled up in you

**Collide**

Something woke Gabriella.

She opened her eyes slowly, her senses gradually returning. The first thing she was aware of was the sounds of breathing other than her own. Immediately after that, a warm body, very masculine and strong, right next to her, one arm splayed across her waist, holding her close. Her lips kicked up at the end and she smiled. And remembered every touch, every caress that was forever burned in her memory. He'd been gentle and tender. But hours later, he didn't hold back. Fast. Hard. Rough.

A surge of giddy delight enveloped her.

He moved, bringing her closer before unconsciously nuzzling her neck. A few minutes later, he settled back down and continued to sleep.

Skin to skin. All she could focus on was the heavy body – all male, lying next to her. She was in a naked man's arms and the realization jolted her fully awake. She's never been the type to engage in one-night stands. In fact, this had been her first. Not that she's been a virgin before this night. But for someone who took two years to finally do it with her last boyfriend of four years, what happened last night was not an everyday occurrence in the life of Gabriella Montez.

But despite it all, Gabriella felt like smiling, screaming to the rest of the world about how magical last night had been. She's always been the type to be in control, her eye always on the prize. During her teenage years, it was school and academics. And when she graduated with top honors, it was her work. Nowadays, she never really had time for anything else but work. And for the first time in twenty six years, since meeting her mystery man, she felt alive. A gurgle of laughter welled up inside her and she tried to contain it, afraid of waking her sleeping Adonis.

Gabriella always imagined that in moments like these where she found herself doing something so uncharacteristic, so unlike her, that a part of her will be overcome with regret and worry. That a hysterical outpouring and an inevitable freakout were in the horizon. But lying next to him – she didn't even know his name, she remained at peace, content and filled with a warm glow she'd never experienced before. A feeling she never thought existed.

Examining the body right next to hers, Gabriella tried to shift, only to find it impossible when he tightened his hold on her. Her legs were still tangled with his and one of her arms lay atop his chest.

It all happened in the dark – their meeting in the overcrowded club, their departure, their joining. In the dark, he'd simply been a magnificent male who knew what place to kiss to bring her to an orgasmic high. In the dark, it was just him and her. But now, with the moonlight casting an ethereal glow about the room and providing her enough light, she finally got to see him up close and his beauty enthralled her. Very gently, she touched his jaw and when his breathing remained steady, she let her hands gently wander, tracing his neck, down to his shoulders. She explored his well-sculpted chest, taking her time and indulging herself in committing to memory every line and plane of his toned body.

He definitely was marvelously all male, so vibrantly real. Every touch sent her senses reeling. She caressed his hands, recalling how these same strong hands brought her to ecstasy. She shifted her head and peered at his face.

Her breath hitched.

She knew he was beyond handsome but every time she looked, she couldn't help but want to pinch herself, to remind herself that this night has been real – that he is real. She lightly touched his lips. And shuddered. Pleasure spilled down her veins, her skin coming alive as she relieved how his lips kissed every inch of her body. Worshiped her.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the clock by his nightstand and mentally cursed.

5:07 am

An image of a worried Taylor replaced any images she'd had of her mystery man. Reluctantly, she set about extracting herself from his hold, a harder feat than she thought but she finally managed to entangle herself from his side.

She slipped from the bed and used the bed frames to grope around in the dark for her clothes. Within minutes, she pulled on her dress before scanning the darkened bedroom for the rest of her belongings. She found her lace bra by the bathroom door. Her purse underneath the nightstand. Finding her shoes and underwear proved to be challenged however. Taking one last look at the male collapsed naked on the bed, Gabriella sighed before slowly opening the bedroom door and setting about finding the rest of her things. Minutes later, she found one pair of her shoe by his office. As for her underwear and the other pair of her heels, well, it was nowhere to be found and the lack of light wasn't exactly helping her search. Glancing at the microwave clock, she silently cursed. All thoughts of the rest of her wardrobe flying out the window as she called for the cab and let herself out of his apartment and out of his life.

But not before grabbing a pair of his shoes.

* * *

"_What's your name?" he asked._

"_Does it really matter?" she countered. _

_In his mind, knowing her name, knowing who she was mattered. Which is completely ridiculous since he has only met the gorgeous woman in front of him minutes ago. So instead, he found himself agreeing. "I guess not."_

_She laughed and he felt himself being reeled in. His blue gaze on hers, he walked slowly toward her. With every step he took, the intentness in his gaze strengthened. Her lungs locked until she felt lightheaded. She told herself to keep breathing, that oxygen was very important, vital, but as he moved closer and closer, her body just simply wouldn't listen. _

"_So, what shall I call you then?"_

_She felt her eyes widen, unsure of what to say. She was a timid and shy woman who rarely went out to clubs. She was reserved and would pick cuddling in the sofa with a book rather than mingling and flirting with men. But at this moment, something changed in her. Something awakened. And it was all because of him, a man that she has never laid eyes on, a man she has only talked to mere minutes before. She moistened her lips before glancing fleetingly at him. "For tonight, anything you want." Her own answer surprised her. And from the look in his eye, he too was surprised._

"_Indeed." The deep murmur sent her senses flaring. He smiled slowly, and watched her attention fix on his lips. He stood perfectly still with mere inches separating their rigid bodies before giving into temptation. He bent closer, lowered his head and closing in on that last inch, he kissed her. _

_Caution whispered through her mind. She wasn't the type to be kissed senseless in clubs - much less by a man she does not know. _

_Given her direct and temptress nature, he was expecting a passionate response the second he pressed his lips to hers. But she froze. And he agonized._

_Her response came eventually, so hesitant and wary that he wondered if she wasn't the vixen he thought her to be, wondered if she'd never been kissed, at least the way he has been kissing her. And so, he teased and cajoled, using all his expertise to draw a response from her. Then, she gripped his shirt. Leaned heavily on him. Started kissing him back. And something in him snapped. _

_He tightened his arms about her and slowly slid his arms around her, taking her into his arms. _

_She knew she should stop. She knew that what was happening right now wasn't her. Yet she'd never been kissed like this before. It was a kiss meant to ignite passion. It was a kiss that was oddly gentle but was meant to coax, to tempt her. It was strange. What she was feeling inside as his hands roamed her body was strange. Different. Tempting. Intoxicating. And so she gave in and gave herself fully to this Adonis, who from the moment he entered her vision, had captured her attention and sent a chill coursing through her veins. _

* * *

Troy Bolton opened his eyes that morning to the sounds of a door closing followed shortly by a taxi cab honking.

Rolling from the bed, he stretched and strolled across the room. He'd woken the instant her weight had left the bed. But instead of startling her, he had lain still and watched her from beneath his lashes. From his position in the bed, she'd seemed distracted, worried even and he saw no reason to refocus her attention on him – not until he'd looked his fill.

She was totally at ease naked. But he had a feeling that if she knew that he was awake, modesty would overcome her and she'd grab anything to cover her fantastic body. He watched as she turned from the windows and tried to find her clothes. He stared at her, from the tumbling mass of ebony hair in wild disarray to the creamy slopes of her breast and down to her adorable dainty feet – the sight she presented transfixed him. A few minutes later, her gorgeous body was covered by her dress. And later, when she located even more of her belongings scattered across the room, Troy contemplated what to do next. He's had his fair share of one-night stands. In fact, it wasn't uncommon to find him in the arms of a different woman on any given night. But being with her – it was different. She was different. And for some reason, he knew that one-night stands weren't her thing. And a surge of male pride and possessiveness consumed him at that thought. For a man who has never been in a fully committed relationship before, for the woman who just left his bed, all he wanted was to pursue her, woo her and make her his. Not just as "one of the many" but "the one".

Something happened last night. That something had to do with her. And Troy was willing to find out more, to explore these unfamiliar feelings that were only ignited when she was near.

Naked, he stood on the same spot she stood only moments before and looked out his bedroom window, and watched as his mystery lady entered the taxi cab. And knew that she was definitely real. If he wasn't awakened by her movements, Troy would have thought that she – "Ella" as another girl called her, had just been a figment of his imagination. He would have thought that the feel of her hands exploring his body that sent his mind and senses on fire were mere fantasy. The feel of her body was nothing but a wonderful dream. But clearly, she was very much real and much more amazing that anything he could ever dream of. And only when the yellow taxi cab turned the corner and out of his sight, only then did Troy move away from the window and back into his bed for a short nap. It was only a quarter to six and he had time to relive last night in his dreams.

An hour and a half later, dressed in trousers and an unbuttoned shirt, he exited his bedroom. On his way to the kitchen, he passed by his office and something glittering caught his eye. Turning, he went back. Opening his office door, he picked up a bejeweled stiletto. Smiling, he searched for its missing pair but to no avail. He took the heel and placed it inside his desk drawer.

A few feet away, Troy saw a black fabric atop one of the many basketball trophies that lined one corner of his office. Picking it up, he smirked, seeing a woman's lacy underwear.

A cough emanated in the direction of the office door.

Discreetly, he tucked away the piece of clothing in his trouser pocket before turning and meeting the gaze of his fifty-five year old housekeeper, May.

"Sir, Mr. Danforth is waiting in the kitchen."

Troy rolled his eyes. "How many times did I tell you to call me Troy, May? I've known you all my life. Don't you think we're way past "Sir" by now?" He added in jest.

May smiled unabashedly. "Yes, Sir - erm, Troy."

"We'll work on that." He said before thanking his housekeeper and heading to the kitchen. Upon entering, his best friend of more than twenty years stood before him, shoving pastries in his mouth. It was a sight to behold, indeed. A twenty seven year old man, dressed in the most fashionable and expensive suit, stood in the middle of his kitchen, sporting a make-shift bib around his neck.

Grinning, "What are you, five?"

Mouth still full with food, Chad glared. Not letting his full mouth stop him, he tried to retort back, "Swuff uf. She mafe de omkay."

Eyebrows furrowing in mock confusion, Troy smirked. "What was that? I couldn't quite understand you," pointing towards Chad's mouth "seeing as your mouth is full."

Chad scowled, or at least tried too. The full effect of Chad's response was lost on Troy since scowling with stuffed cheeks just did not look right. Glaring, Chad took a big gulp of water and swallowed, before using his bib to clean his lips. "I said, she made me wear it okay!"

"Again, I ask, how old are you?"

"Whatever, dude. So, who's the chick?" Chad asked as he took another pastry off the plate and placed it inside his mouth.

Shaking his head at his best friend's antics, Troy poured himself a cup of coffee. "What chick?" He asked as he touched the lacy material in his pocket.

"You did leave with the brunette vixen last night, right? I didn't imagine you ditching me for a girl, did I?"

"Speaking of last night, what exactly happened?"

Chad looked pitifully at Troy. "That's sad, dude. I wouldn't want to forget doing it with a girl as hot as that. You were _that_ drunk? "

May, who has entered the kitchen unbeknownst to the two gentlemen piped in. "Remember boys, treat women as if they're human beings, not some playthings."

Troy and Chad share a glance as May continued, "And as for the girl, she left in a cab but she was wearing your shoes. Very odd. But she's a very nice gel, that one. Not like the other girls you bring home."

"Other girls?" Both Troy and Chad asked simultaneously, trying to look confused and clueless.

May scoffed. "You don't have to pretend for my sake. I may be an old-fashioned lady who advocates men actually wooing someone as oppose to just engaging in meaningless sex with anyone with skirts but I know how men like you two operate."

Both men sputtered, trying to come up with a reply to the candid statement from May.

"Wh - How… You know about the women I bring home? But you're never here that early in the morning?! And how did you know that girl from last night was nice?" In the back of his head, Troy tried to think of a circumstance where he called for a taxi cab for a girl he brought home while May was here. And came up with nothing. Knowing May's and his mother's traditional and conservative sensibilities, he had tried to shield his bachelor ways away from those two. Oh, they knew about the plethora of girls that he surrounds himself with but he made sure that they actually never saw any of those girls in person.

Busy cleaning the mess Chad made, May distractedly replied sarcastically. "I'm not stupid, blind or deaf, Troy."

"But they always leave before you get here?"

Looking knowingly at Troy, and at Chad, she stated, "I have eyes and ears everywhere in this building. So does both of your mothers."

A combination of shock, fear and disbelief passed over Troy's and Chad's faces. "Our mothers?"

"Yes. Both Diane Bolton and Jean Danforth." With a pointed glance, May said, "As for the girl, she was very nice and gracious to the bellman. Even chatted with him a bit while she waited for her cab. Manny said she was shy. Not your typical kind of girl. Hmm."

Troy and Chad were rendered speechless.

May's admonition jolted them. "Well, what are you waiting for? Your breakfast is getting cold and if you just stand there with your mouths hanging open, you'll be late. Not that it would matter since you're both heads of the company." The last statement she muttered under her breath as she moved away from the kitchen and tended to the rest of Troy's apartment.

Without looking back at the two of the young men, mouths still agape as they stood frozen, May warningly uttered, "Keep moving."

"Yes, Ma'am." Chad says as he pushed Troy into the dining table where a breakfast feast awaited them.

"So, this mystery woman of yours…"

* * *

_He trapped her against him, crushed his lips to hers and just simply savored her. Beneath that hard, scorching kiss - hard enough to render her witless, Gabriella clung to him, weak-kneed and helpless with the onslaught of his feverish kisses. Sensing her weakness, Troy's arms locked around her and pulled her flushed body against his. _

_Breaking the kiss, Troy focused his attention on her nape, nuzzling and caressing it. She moaned, a sound so sweet and yet so sensual that only intensified his desires. _

_Someone bumped into them. And that single contact sent them back into reality. _

_Troy's lips detached itself from her nape. Capturing her gaze, something primal washed over him at the longing he could she in her eyes. _

_It took a moment for Gabriella's wits to come back. And when it did, the first thing she focused on was the man currently standing close to her. His eyes met hers. And she stopped breathing. It wasn't his face or his appearance that snatched her breath away - although the first time she laid eyes on him in the dance floor, she knew she was a goner. It wasn't that. It was the look in his eyes. The way he looked at her, the desire swirling in his eyes that left her breathless and sent her nerves quivering. _

_His lips, the very same lips that ignited her senses and sent her mind reeling, curved. He inclined his head. "Do you want to get out of here?"_

_For the first time in her life, she understood what it meant to be speechless, what it felt like to be tongue-tied. And so, she barely managed a nod in response. He smiled - a devastatingly swoon-worthy smile that could steal anyone's senses and for the umpteenth time that night, Gabriella forgot how to breathe. Taking her elbow, Troy guided her out of the overcrowded club. At the contact, a gentle heat spread beneath her skin and she allowed herself to be lead out of the club and into the unknown._

* * *

On the other side of New York, the less extravagant and affluent side, Gabriella tried to inconspicuously enter the apartment she shared with her best friend, Taylor McKessie. Thanks to the fact that her other shoe was missing, she didn't have to worry about making anymore noise, aside from the ones she was currently making. Peering over the window that overlooked their living room and seeing no one, she cautiously reached out and opened the door.

It squeaked. Gabriella stilled.

She waited for a moment or two to see if anyone was awakened by the noise before proceeding inside. Thankfully, the door did not make anymore squeaks. Moving away from the foyer, she placed her coat on the rack, only to have the ends of her purse handles get tangled in the said coat rack. Before she could prevent it, the said object came crashing down.

She could only cringe.

"With the ruckus you're making, I'm surprised that you haven't woken the rest of the neighborhood yet."

Gabriella gasped. Her keys went flying. In a flurry, she whirled, dropping the shoe she was holding close of her chest. One hand on top of her beating heart and the other clutching tightly onto the edge of the coat rack, Gabriella stared at Taylor, who was calmly sitting by the couch right next to the fire place.

"Oh!" Her voice wavered, "It's you."

An eyebrow rose. "Were you expecting anyone else? So…" she stood up and advanced menacingly upon Gabriella, "had fun at your sleep over with a random guy, tonight, or should I say last night huh?"

Gabriella continued to stare at Taylor, unsure if her answer may or may not appease her obvious angry best friend. She settled for an "Erm".

Without acknowledging Gabriella's unintelligible response, Taylor resumed her rant. "Cause you know, losing your best friend at the congested club, which by the way is over its occupancy limit, and receiving a cryptic text from her," raising one finger, "and let me quote, said '_I'm okay. Don't wait up_.' definitely set me at ease."

With a sliding step, Gabriella moved away, but not before righting the fallen coat rack and saying, "I'm really sorry, Tay. I didn't think you'd worry this much."

Again, Taylor only raised an eyebrow.

Inwardly, Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Okay, so I don't normally do this, but you're the one always pushing me to get out there and start living a little."

Taylor shrugged. "You got me there but calling would be nice. Telling me that you're okay and didn't get kidnapped. And before you protest, that text message didn't really help."

Gabriella frowned and tried to look apologetic. "Sorry. I promise, this won't happen again…"

Instead of seeing a smile, Taylor's frown got more serious. "Oh, no. You're not going back to your old ways and into that boring lifestyle of yours. I'm not saying that you should hook up with random guys every night but you're finally enjoying life, we're not stopping now."

They both smiled at the obvious contradiction in Taylor's earlier actions with her last statement.

"So, you done with the 'overprotective mother' act now? Cause I would really like to tell my best friend about this incredibly hot guy I met last night?"

Eyes twinkling, Taylor clapped like a little kid, "Yes, please." Arm in arm, the two walked to the kitchen for an early morning gossip alongside their breakfast. "And don't forget any details."

* * *

_What was she doing? Gabriella asked herself as her back connected to the door to an apartment she assumed was his. She couldn't really think straight. Not when his mouth was doing wonders to her neck, as he nuzzled and caressed his way into her chest. But oh, no. She wasn't just an innocent bystander in this exchange. Her hand was rising to cup and frame his jaw, trying to angle his face so her lips could cover his. Not that it was hard for he was more than happy to acquiesce. She was kissing him. He was claiming her. _

_Releasing her hand, Troy reached for her and drew her more closer to him. As before, her hands rose to his chest, this time, unbuttoning his shirt. Without warning, he locked his arm around her waist and lifted her, settling her legs around his waist while his other hand tried to open the door to his apartment. _

_Abruptly, he pulled back, broke the kiss and cursed, leaving Gabriella confused and bewildered but searching his lips for more. He lifted his head only inches away from hers and waited until she found her bearing. And when she did, she cleared her throat; her gaze still on his lips before she quickly raised it. "Why did you stop?"_

_Troy sent her a boyish grin. "I couldn't open the door."_

"_Oh." Turning slightly to her side, she took the key from his hands and opened the door. "Her-"_

_He cut her off and immediately went back to kissing her. His lips were hard and commanding on hers. And the way his tongue filled her mouth, caressing was a sensual delight for Gabriella. Shifting her hands, she spread her fingers into his hair and tugged him closer. And when he increased the intensity of their kisses, Gabriella couldn't help but plaster her hands on top of his chiseled chest. Still being carried by him, she could only moan when he raised his hand from her waist and spread it over her breast. Her breast arched and that single touch left parts of her body tingling, throbbing with an indescribable feeling that only left her wanting more. _

_They stumbled onto the living room. Breaking the kiss, Gabriella tugged the shirt over his head before slamming her lips back on his while her hands touched his chest. And the feel of his bare skin was something she savored. Troy's shirt went flying. Landing somewhere in the foyer. In between kisses, more clothes left their bodies._

_Gabriella drew in a tight breath as his large hands skillfully caressed her body, sending a sensations streaking through her. He squeezed and she sucked in a breath. Breathing was beyond her. She gripped tight, grasping his head as she held him._

"_Oh, god!" Eyes closed, she struggled to breathe. Dragging in one last breath, she reached for his face and brought his lips back to hers. Delicious shards of sensation streaked through them. As he continued his ministrations to her breast, she rockers her hips against him._

_Troy groaned into her mouth. Releasing her breast, he slid his hand down her ribs, then lower, over the curve of her hip. He caught the ends of her dress, gathered the material and slid his hand beneath to touch her bare skin until he felt lace, moved in to the side and plunged. He teased. He explored. Cleverly and wantonly caressing between her thighs._

_It took all of Gabriella's strength not to scream. _

_What was she doing? The question lingered in her brain. And out of the blue, she remembered Taylor's words, "You're learning what it feels to be alive" before her body hit the bed and everything went black as her climax overcame her._

* * *

Part Deux will be up once I finish proof reading it.

Reviews are much appreciated.


	2. Rising Action

_AN:_ And here is Part Deux to this story mine. So sorry for the wait. While I was proof-reading this chapter, I just found myself hating the ending and before I knew it, I completely erased pretty much the whole thing. And so I decided to start over again with this chapter which explains why this took longer to be updated. Ummm, because of this massive rewrite, part two is a total departure from what this story was suppose to be. Also, it's a good 2000 words longer that the first rough draft.

I didn't really realize that there were some Cinderella references to the first chapter until someone mentioned it in a review but Gabriella leaving a shoe and what not was not intentional. Or at least, consciously, it wasn't. haha.

Thanks so much for everyone who reviewed. It means a lot.

Enjoy. Oh, and a few cuss words are casually thrown around.

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own anything.

* * *

_But I'm open, you're closed  
Where I follow, you'll go  
I worry I won't see your face  
Light up again_

**Collide**

"So, still no luck finding that girl of yours huh?"

Lifting his eyes from the contracts from a recent merger in front of him, Troy Bolton saw his best friend, Chad Danforth as he closed the door to his office.

"Nope. But it is not like I'm actively looking for her either." Troy said, trying to look nonchalant about the mention of "his girl".

Seeing through his best friend's façade, Chad snorted as he took a seat in one of the lounge chairs in Troy's office. "For the past week, we have only frequented one club. One. And it just so happens to be the same club where you met Ella." He leaned back and looked knowingly at Troy. "Not to mention, you haven't been with any girl since you hooked up with her. And don't even deny it, dude."

Troy blew a long breath through his lips as he stared dejectedly at the files littered across his messy desk. "Okay, so I'm a little hung up on her. But there's something different about her, Chad. Not to sound like a girl here but with her, it was different, she is different."

"You sure have it bad."

The door opened and Sheila, Chad's secretary, stuck her head in. "Sorry for interrupting, sir but," she glanced at the paper in her hand, "a Taylor Mckessie called and she was pretty adamant that you answer your cell phone… _or else_." She grimaced.

Chad grinned. "Thanks, Sheila."

"Your welcome. Oh, and your 3:00 appointment rescheduled so after your last meeting with Mr. Suffield, your schedule is all free."

"Nice. Well, as long as all the paperwork is done, after my last meeting, you can leave early. Isn't it your daughter's recital tonight?"

Sheila tried to hide her shock at that fact that her boss remembered. "Thank you, sir."

Chad only nodded. "Carry on." And the door shut behind her.

"Still seeing Taylor huh? It's been what, the second week now? Your mother would be undoubtedly happy. No wonder you never complained when I dragged your sorry ass in the same club for the past week since your girl is always there."

"My sorry ass? I'm not the one pining away for a woman you don't even know. As for Taylor, she was actually calling because she wanted to know if you wanted to double date tonight."

Troy groaned. "You know I hate blind dates. And is it with that blonde friend of hers? Because she's okay looking and all but that girl is like an ice queen. Frigid always comes to mind when I see her. And that's saying a lot since I've only met her once."

Chad could only laugh at Troy's astute observation. "Nah, its Tay's roommate. I've personally haven't met her yet but from what Taylor has been saying, she seems like a pretty nice girl. "

"No thanks, Chad. I think I'll pass. And it's not because of Ella."

Troy only got a rolling of the eyes in response. "Its not."

"Whatever floats your boat, man." He stood up and walked to the door before turning back, "But if you ever change your mind about that double date, tell me. Taylor and her roommate, Gabi, I think her name was, will be excited for it." And at that, Chad left.

Troy sighed. And continued on the pretense that he was actually doing his job but in reality, his mind was still on Ella, pining and hoping that he'll get to see her again.

* * *

The week passed unbelievably slow for Gabriella. Work was dull. Home was just as boring. Before her one-night stand, she found her life to be quite exciting, in the broadest sense of the word. Her work as a junior financial analyst was challenging. And despite not being one for clubbing and what not, her home life was fun, at least in her standards. Not to Taylor or Sharpay of course. This was why she found herself out in the clubs that night she meet him. And ever since then, he has always been on her mind. It didn't help that his shoes, which where tucked under her bed, was a constant reminder of what happened that unforgettable night. A part of her yearned to see him again. She knew where he lived. And she had the perfect excuse for she really did need to return the shoes she borrowed. And get back her missing pair of heels. But every time Gabriella found herself taking those shoes and going by his apartment building, an unexplainable fear washed over her. Meeting and being with him in the dark was fine and all but meeting him in broad daylight and the thought of actually getting to know him, and not just his body, was what scared her.

Throughout her twenty six years of existence, she's only been in two major relationships. One in high school and one while in college. The first was just merely puppy love, she knew that now. She wasn't really in love with her high school sweetheart, just infatuated with the concept of love but it hurt nonetheless when they broke up. And when she dated her college boyfriend, for a while, she thought he was the one. But apparently, she was just deluding herself into thinking that the four years she spent with him would lead to something more. And then she found him in the arms of another woman. It stung but she moved on. Or at least she thought so. But even now, three years after the horrible breakup, the effects of that particular relationship still haunts her. Getting close to someone, leaving herself open and vulnerable was something that truly terrified her. Which explained her fear in meeting her mystery man again.

The connection was there. She felt it. And she knew he did too. It was more than just a physical attraction. It was something deeper. And if Gabriella opened her eyes long enough to see, she'll realize that meeting her mystery man was in fact the best thing that happened to her. But for now, fear and dread about being close to another man won and invaded her thoughts. That and her friend's attempts at setting her up with a random guy.

"So I heard from Taylor that you're still pining for that guy from a week ago?"

"I'm not pining." Gabriella answered Sharpay, a fellow co-worker in the magazine company they work in. "And did she tell you that she's still trying to get me to go on that double date with Chad's best friend?"

"Well, why don't you?" Sharpay countered. Through the phone, Gabriella can just imagine her friend looking bored as she stared at her perfectly manicured and polished nails. "If you're really over with that one-night stand of yours as you say, go on that double date. Maybe it will even keep your mind of that blonde-haired Adonis of yours. And besides, from what I remember, Trey or whatever his name is was pretty hot. But I was drunk and you know how I get when its an open bar."

Gabriella rolled her eyes but when Sharpay asked again, she only bit her lip. "I don't know Sharpay. Besides, blind dates aren't really my thing, you know that. And I haven't even met Chad yet."

"Excuses, excuses. Girl, just stop denying it already. It's been way too long since Mark hurt you. Don't you think its time that you move on already? "

She could only sigh. "Can we stop talking about my love life now?"

This time, it was Sharpay's turn to sigh. "Gabriella, I'm only saying this because you're my friend. And I care about you. But you need to stop running. Not every guy out there is a jack ass. And as much as it pains me to say this, there are guys out there that do think with their heart and brain, and not just with their anatomy."

Gabriella tried to cut her off but Sharpay wasn't having it. "If you're not ready to be in another relationship because you're _really _not ready and not because of that asshole ex boyfriend of yours, then that's okay. But if it's because you're afraid to get hurt, then I suggest you open your eyes. You know what they say; love is a leap of faith. Once in a while, you need to step out of your box and just let go. You know free fall into the unknown and all that shit."

The truth in Sharpay's words hurt. But Gabriella couldn't help but smile a little. "Thanks, Shar."

"Your welcome. It's about time someone bitch slapped some sense into you."

She laughed. "I'm quite impressed with your words of wisdom. It was a nice mix of song lyrics and notable quotes from movies."

Gabriella could just imagine Sharpay haughtily shrugging her shoulders in dismissal and rolling her eyes in annoyance. "It worked didn't it? And that's all that matters."

* * *

"…still a no."

Taylor frowned as she heard Sharpay explain that her efforts were futile when it came to convincing their friend Gabriella to go on a double date. Tapping her fingers on her desk, she bit her lip worriedly.

"So you couldn't even convince her?"

A scoff was heard across the line. "The girl's stubborn. I even brought Mark in the conversation."

"You did not?!" Indignation was clearly heard in Taylor's voice.

This time a snort was heard. "It's been three years, Taylor. I think its time that someone slapped some sense into her. And you aren't helping one bit. Tip toeing around the issue. Never bringing him up. We both know that she's still afraid to get hurt. Which is why she hasn't been living her life to the fullest and running away from men. And as much as you protest and try to convince her to go out there and have fun, you're still coddling her as if she's still a little girl. Gabriella's a grown woman."

The silence on the other end of the line told Sharpay that her comment had hit home.

Sigh. "I'm sorry. But you have to let Gabriella make her own mistakes. And for her to do that, you need to stop babying her. I know you feel guilty for what happened with Mark and Gabriella. But at the end of the day, Mark made that choice to cheat on her. Just because you introduced them to each other doesn't mean that you're at fault for what happened. Gabi doesn't blame you. No one does."

Taylor fought down a sob, realizing the truth in Sharpay's words. "You can be such a bitch sometimes, you know."

"Just sometimes?"

Taylor couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks. I needed that, Shar."

"Your welcome." Sharpay sighed. "So, what are we doing about Gabi and that mystery man of hers that she's still pining for?"

It was Taylor's turn to sigh. "We just have to find him, I guess."

"Which is a little hard since we don't even know what he looks like. Blonde haired, blue eyes and well-sculpted body doesn't exactly narrow down the millions of men in this city."

Dejected, Taylor could only say, "Well, it's a small world. We just need to get Gabriella out of the house or something."

_Beep_.

"Oh, hey, Shar, Chad's calling. Call you later?"

"Yeah. And maybe we could double team, Gabi. Two against one. Maybe then we'll hopefully wear her down."

Taylor laughed and said her goodbye. She barely managed to catch Chad's call before it went straight to her voicemail.

"Hello?"

"Finally someone answers her phone," Chad said, not bothering with a greeting. "I talked to Troy and he said no."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Hello to you too, babe. And no worries, even Gabi turned the double date idea down."

"It's their lost." Chad stated.

"I know, but it would have been a nice way for Gabi to get her mind off her Adonis."

Bewildered, Chad inquired about the mention of an 'Adonis'.

Shaking her head, Taylor just pretty much ignored Chad. "It's nothing. Just some random guy she's pining over."

"Feels like I've heard that story before." Chad replied, thinking about Troy's own predicament. "Anyways, since the double date idea is kapoof, you up for some Italian tonight?"

"I'd love too. And maybe some Chinese?"

Getting the hint, Chad could only agree. "Chinese it is then. Pick you up at 7?"

"6?" Taylor countered.

"Chinese at six, it is."

Taylor ended the call laughing.

* * *

Another week passed. Another week of missing a guy she hardly even knew. And just when Gabriella was about to give up, he came waltzing in, disrupting her life the same way he did that fateful night fifteen days ago.

It was a rather boring day at the office. Aside from the financial statements she was reviewing, her day was mundane. She may love her job but today was one of those days where time seemed to drag itself and all the work just seemed to keep piling up. In days like these, she tended to neglect her work and opt for some on-the-job chit chat with Sharpay. She knew that the next day would make her stay later than usual to catch up but when the body and mind didn't want to work, who was Gabriella to deny them that? She was only thankful that she had her own office with a window overlooking the office floor cubicles so in case her supervisor stopped by, she could pretend to be working.

"…merger was finalized yesterday. And from what Marcie said, the son of the conglomerate owner that purchased this business is coming down today to meet the new employees and what not. You know, bond with us and all that shit."

Gabriella smiled at Sharpay's sarcasm but it faded when glanced outside her window. Frowning slightly, she wriggled to sit straighter. "What's the name of the guy again?"

"What guy?"

"The new owner's son?"

"Oh, umm, a Troy Bolton. I swear I've heard that name before but anyways, tell me, are you coming with us tonight? Tay is finally going to formally introduce us to Chad. And I've only met him and his best friend Trey or Roy or whatever once. You've never met either of them and maybe its time that…." Sharpay droned on, oblivious to her friend's preoccupation.

From her seat, Gabriella could see that he was far from the Adonis he remembered him to be. Oh, he was so much more. Dressed in his impeccable suit and hair looking immaculate, one that made Gabriella itch to run her fingers through it, she couldn't quite believe that she had spent a whole night with him. If she thought that he looked yummy at night, he was downright godly in the morning.

After a few minutes and receiving no response from Gabriella, she asked, "Gabi? Gabs, you still there?"

"Huh? Umm, I'll call you back, Shar." She answered before abruptly hanging up the phone on her friend. Standing up, she stood in front of her office window and looked out. Right in front of her was her mystery man, standing by the elevators next to her supervisor and a curly haired African American. She inched closer into her window, taking the sight of him in.

Feeling eyes on him, Troy scanned the office area until his blue eyes landed on a familiar hazel brown ones. Taking an unconscious step forward, a feeling of excitement and anticipation ran through him. A few feet away stood the woman that has haunted his dream. He took a quick glance at the placard that adorned her office door - Gabriella Montez.

If time could stand still, it that instant, Gabriella knew it did.

Then, reality came crashing back. Having been caught staring, she flushed a very bright red and he grinned. Stiffening, she took a few steps until she backed into her table. For an instant, she stared into his captivating blue eyes, dark and unreadable. Acutely conscious of the heat in her skin, she turned around, trying to find her composure. With her back to him, Gabriella didn't see his brow arching, his blue eyes lifting before Troy smirked. He catches Chad's inquiring gaze. Troy just shook his head and followed the supervisor as the man gave a tour of the floor. Taking one last look at her, he gave his full attention to the supervisor of the department, with the full intention of seeking Ella out later.

"…around here is the sales offices. I believe you've met…"

Back in her office, Gabriella's heart was pounding. It felt like her legs were mere pudding. And if, at the sight of him alone, her legs already felt like jell-o, she couldn't quite imagine how the hell she could face him in person. For a moment there, as their eyes connected, she thought that he wouldn't remember her but that grin on his face confirmed otherwise. And that grin spoke volumes. The subtle smile that curved his lips sent a surge of giddy delight within her and Gabriella remembered how they'd felt on hers. It has been fifteen days but it only felt like yesterday.

Cautiously turning around, she managed to get another glimpse as her mystery man, along with her supervisor and the other male, turned the corner. Her gazed raced over him. She'd seen enough of him back in the club and later, when they found themselves tangled up in his bed. But devoid of the darkness that surrounded them that night, the planes of his face seemed more austere. He was the kind of man who knew his place in the world. The kind of man who was born into his position. But the softness in his blue eyes undermined what ever hardness was in his face. He was dressed with understated richness. His suit may seem like any regular suit out there but every garment, from the tie to his shoe laces bore the stamp of luxury. His hair, which she could now see quite clearly, was a honey-toned brown, framing his handsome face.

And only when he was completely out of sight did Gabriella relax and breathe. The feeling didn't last long when she realized who he was.

Grabbing the phone, she dialed Sharpay's number. Her friend did not even have the chance to greet her when she stated, with a lace of worry in her voice, "He's here."

Confused, Sharpay could only ask who Gabriella was talking about.

"My blonde-haired Adonis. Fuck." She could feel the beginnings of a headache coming along. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."

Sharpay was surprised by the amount of cuss words that came from her friend's mouth. "Ok, first, you need to calm down. Breathe."

Gabriella took a huge gulp of breathe.

"You breathing?"

Like a child, she answered, "Yes."

"Good. Now, tell me what happened?"

"Fucking Troy Bolton and all his -"

"I know you're worried about the new boss coming in but let's focus here. Your Adonis?" said Sharpay as she interrupted Gabriella.

"It's Troy Bolton, Shar." She said in all seriousness.

"What, go back to your -" there was a pause before Sharpay stated, well, more like shouted, "You're fucking Troy Bolton?"

"Fucking would imply that said action is done presently. Fucked was more like it"

Again, Sharpay interrupted. "Don't get technical with me."

"Yes, Troy Bolton and the man from fifteen nights ago are one and the same." Leaning her head back, she started massaging her temple. "What am I going to do, Sharpay?"

"You lucky bitch."

"Sharpay?!" Annoyance rang in her voice.

"Sorry. Anyways, what do you mean, what are you going to do? You've been pining for this guy for more than two weeks now. He's in the same building, heck, he's even in the same floor as you. Now's the time to stop running."

Gabriella pouted. "Easier said than done."

At the other end of the line, she heard a curse, followed by a sound of objects hitting the floor. "Shit, gotta go, Gabi. Go get him, girl." Sharpay advised before the line went dead.

_Well, no help there_. She said to herself. Deciding to leave the confines of her office, she peeked outside first before heading straight to the coffee room. On her way, she nodded to several of her co-workers and chatted with some of them for a bit but always looking over her shoulder to see if Troy Bolton was back. Finally, after ending a conversation with one of interns, she made herself a cup of hot chocolate.

"Ah, Mr. Danes - do introduce me."

Gabriella inwardly cursed. The languorous drawl came from behind her. And without even looking, she knew it was him. She told herself to breathe. She had to fight not to whirl around and jump his bones. Slowly, she turned and tried to relax her expression, forcing to push away the worry and anxiety in her face.

Troy looked down at the woman standing before him. His gaze roved, taking in her figure displayed in a feminine wrap around dress that hugged her in all the right places. Her expression was aloof yet polite but one look at her hazel brown eyes and he knew she was jumpy, nervous, heck, even worried about seeing him. He'd often wondered what color her eyes were. In the dark, he wasn't quite sure. He got a good look at her body. Memorizing every plane, every curve. But those hazel brown eyes, in the dark, he couldn't quite commit to memory. He'd waited fifteen days to see those eyes again.

"Mr. Bolton, meet Gabriella Montez, junior financial analyst." Pointing at him, Mr. Danes continued with his introductions. "Ms. Montez, Troy Bolton, our new CEO."

Gabriella thought of just politely nodding. But the last second, she chickened out and stretched out her hand and met his for a hand shake. She felt a jolt of spark the moment his hand grasped hers and she immediately took back her hand, as if she's been burned. Mr. Danes raised a pointed brow at her. A blush graced her cheek.

He let his lips curve appreciatively at her reaction. _Oh, she was jumpy alright_.

An awkward silence enveloped them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." She said, glancing around and not pointedly looking straight at him. At the corner of her eye, she saw the curly haired man looking oddly at her.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine." Troy placed a subtle emphasis on the last four words. Her glance touched his smirking face. "And please, just call me Troy. 'Sir' sounds too formal, don't you think?"

Not knowing what else to say, she just nodded her head.

"I confess I'm surprised at your level of work. For someone so young, you've done this company a great deal of service." Troy complimented.

Gabriella waited until his gaze returned to her eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, you're barely a year older than me."

"Gabriella!" Mr. Danes stated, shocked at her brazenness.

The ends of Troy's lips lifted and then he laughed. A smile curved in Gabriella's lips. Mr. Danes on the other hand wasn't amused by what she did. To her surprise, the curly haired man came forth. "Mr. Danes, I believe you mentioned giving a tour of the marketing department. I would very much like to see it now, if you please."

Mr. Danes flicked a glance at Gabriella and then at Troy. He hesitated, unsure of whether to leave Troy alone with her. Sensing the man's discomfort, Troy waved in dismissal. "You go ahead. I'd like to pick Ms. Montez' brain here about some of the reports she's submitted. I'll just be in my office, if you need us."

Mr. Danes bobbed his head and directed the other man to the elevators. But not before sending Gabriella a warning glance. She of course ignored it.

"Right this way, Gabriella."

His comment was innocent enough. But by the way he said her name - saying it as if it was an endearment, struck a cord within her. His tone was deep and seductive. And so she followed as asked herself the same question she asked all those nights ago.

_What the hell was she doing?_

* * *

Okay, so its not a two-shot anymore. It's a three-shot now. I could have left it with just two chapters but the 2nd one would have been way, way too long. Anyways, 3rd chapter will be up on Saturday, hopefully maybe even Friday.

Reviews are much appreciated.


	3. Climax

_AN:_ I was helping my brother with his English essay and it had something to with the "dramatic structure". To those of you who aren't familiar with it, its pretty much the whole exposition, rising and falling action and climax and conclusion. So while proofreading his essay, a light bulb lit in my head and since I've gotten a few requests asking me to continue this and since I am easily persuaded, I am continuing this story. And after toying with several plot bunnies and what not, I have a pretty rough outline for a 5-chapter story. I know its not that long but I'm really not the kind of writer that can carry a story for 20-something chapters. I don't write fillers and pretty much every chapter is essential in bringing the whole story together. Having said that, as I stated earlier, the storyline that I have drafted is still in its early stages so who knows, maybe as my muse inspires me, this planned 5-chapter story might just get longer. We'll see but as of right now, I'm going ahead with 5-chapters which means that there's two more after this.

Things get heated. So, uh, yeah.

And thanks for all the reviews. I never really thought I'd get this kind of response from you guys so thank you so much. It means a lot to me. And a big shout out to **rachrep**, you were pretty much the deciding factor in my decision to make _Collide _longer.

This hasn't been proofread so sorry for any grammatical/spelling errors.

Enjoy. Again, cuss words appear every now and then.

_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing.

* * *

_I'm quiet, you know  
You make a first impression  
I've found I'm scared to know  
I'm always on your mind_

**Collide**

"Maybe it would be better if I ask the marketing director to give you the tour of that department?" Mr. Danes asked as Chad pushed him towards the elevator. From the corner of his eye, he tried to glance back at Troy and Gabriella as they made their way to the new CEO's office.

Seeing the man's preoccupation and concern about his new boss and the girl, Chad tried to easy his anxiety. "No worries. I just want a tour, not a detailed play by play of how the marketing department works." As he said this, he pressed the elevator button.

"But -"

Chad stopped anymore protests. "Don't worry, Mr. Danes. Troy can handle himself."

_Ding._

Looking up, Chad was surprised to see Sharpay Evans standing before him.

"Sharpay?"

"Chad?"

They asked simultaneously. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here, along with Gabi. Although we're in different departments." Sharpay answered. "You?"

"I'm the new CFO." He replied sheepishly.

Shocked, Sharpay stated, "Shut up."

"Ms. Evans?!" Again, Mr. Danes was truly perturbed by the employee's audacious behavior. "That is not how you talk to your superior."

Waving in dismissal, Chad ignored the bald-haired supervisor at his side. "Did you say Gabi? As in Gabriella Montez?"

Sharpay nodded her head. "Why? What about her?"

Chad shook his head in wonderment and mumbled something about "chances", "right under our noses" and "so priceless". Turning to Mr. Danes, he announced, "If you wouldn't mind, I'd really like if Ms. Evans here escorted me to the marketing floor. If I remember correctly, she's in Marketing and Design, am I right?"

Mr. Danes nodded slowly, unsure of what the hell was happening. First, Gabriella and now Sharpay.

"Okay then. If I need anything else, I'll be sure to call you, Mr. Danes. It was a pleasure." Chad stated before entering the elevator and pressing the button to close the doors.

Before Mr. Danes could utter a response, the elevator closed on him. Not even bothering to comprehend what just happened, he withdrew back to his office and took some much need pain relievers.

Back in the elevator, Sharpay was interrogating Chad about his earlier mumblings.

"It's nothing," he answered. "It is just that Troy -"

"Troy? Gabi's Troy is the same Troy we've been trying to set her up with? This is priceless."

Chad grinned. "Tell me about it. All this time, while he ran around New York looking for her, she was actually sharing an apartment with my girlfriend."

Sharpay's smirked and amusement lurked in her eyes. "Are they together? Coz' that's the reason why I hurried in Gabi's floor."

Chad shrugged. "Last I checked, they were on their way to Troy's office."

"Oh, this is so exciting." she said, bouncing like a little girl. "It's fate."

Chad rolled his eyes at Sharpay's enthusiasm. A comfortable silence surrounded them as they ascended up to the 12th floor. And then out of the blue, Sharpay noted, "You know, for a one-night stand, this thing between Troy and Gabi sure has turned into something more."

He couldn't agree more. "Like you said, it's fate."

* * *

"You're my new boss? Oh, gawd." Gabriella stated the moment Troy closed the door to his office.

"Does is really matter?" He countered, moving away from her and leaning against the office table.

Vividly recalling a similar conversation nights before, she paused before answering. "I guess not… Yes, no…. I don't know?"

Troy's face hardened at her initial answer. "No?"

Oblivious to Troy's reaction, Gabriella started blubbering about offices romances and the appropriateness of it all. Waving her hands, especially when she was particularly convinced that entering into a relationship with your boss would not work, she went on and on about the pros and cons of the situation they found themselves in. In her long diatribe, she always went back to one thing, "You're my boss. **My** boss." At first, Troy was annoyed at her protest. But as she continued to ramble on, getting more and more ridiculous with her reasons, he couldn't help but smile.

"…and you're my boss…"

There she was again.

"…makes it so much worse. And you're laughing." Eyes thinning, she clenched her fingers and fought the urge to throw something at him, "Why are you laughing? This is a serious matter, Troy."

"It most certainly is." He agreed, tying to placate her. Amusement lurked in his blue eyes.

"Argh, you are incorrigible." She declared with a pout and a humph.

Unfazed by her outburst, Troy said, "You look more beautiful than I remembered." A statement that left Gabriella sputtering. "Ah - That - Could you be serious for just a second?"

He stood up, slowly advancing towards her. A flutter of butterflies settled in her stomach. "I looked for you back at the club."

She opened her mouth to explain why she was not there. But she couldn't even explain it to herself so she just shut her mouth.

He continued to walk towards her until there was only an inch separating them. "You're scared of me." It wasn't a question.

"I'm scared, yes," She hesitated, then inclined her head. "…but not of you."

Her honesty was refreshing, much to Troy's relief. Tucking a stray ebony curl behind her ear, Troy whispered, "I can't stop thinking about you." His eyes held hers, and she knew was mesmerized, knew that there was no resisting whatever was brewing between them.

She didn't know how to reply to his confession. By all means, she could say it back because in truth, he has rarely left her mind. Even now, as he stood before her, she could barely think of anything else but him. Thoughts of what might happen if they do enter into a relationship flew. And even before he caressed her cheek, she knew she was a goner. And with just a single touch, he sent her whole body buzzing.

It was worse than she'd imagined. She couldn't drag her gaze from his, especially from his lips. Her lips throbbed and she remembered all too clearly what his lips felt like against hers.

The tension between them grew. He closed whatever distance was separating them. Her heart was beating a little faster, her breathing just a little shallower.

"Kiss me." The softly murmured words echoed in Troy's brain.

"If I kiss you, there's no going back. So don't tempt me with something you're not ready for." He cautioned her. Goose bumps spread over her skin.

She was silent for an moment. It didn't even last thirty seconds but for Troy, in that moment, an all consuming fear spread through him. He'd laid his heart out on the table. It's her move. Gabriella turned her head slightly and whispered back, "Kiss me."

His fingers touched her nape and then trailed down, teasing her, allowing her to make the first move. Boldly, she slid her hands up over his chest, over his shoulders until they settled on his neck. She drew his head down, stretched up on her toes and looked into his beautiful blue eyes before she set her lips to his. It didn't take long before he started kissing her back. He parted her lips and entered, devoured. His tongue met hers and the feeling that coursed through her veins was a novel one. She wanted to know more. Needed to know more.

His arms closed around her, supporting her weak body against him. She wasn't complaining. To be surrounding by him, to feel his strong muscles around her was exciting. And when they came up for air and broke the kiss, she felt dizzy. Lips parted, her heart thudding in her ears, she touched her lips - as if savoring the feeling. She took a deep breath before kissing him again. He didn't resist. Reaching up, she slid her fingers into his hair and gripped tight. She pressed herself against his masculine frame. A move that drove Troy mad. He needed her, now. But his mind, all too rational, screamed that taking Gabriella here, in his office and in his first day on the job, was not a good idea.

He drew back quickly, before desire got the better of them. Chest laboring, he lifted his head and felt her drag in a long breath, felt her breast press against his chest as she tried to get her wits in order. He eased his hold on hers and her lids fluttered. Blinking, she stared at him.

Seeing the question in her eyes, he answered. "As much as I want to continue, I doubt that doing it here would be a good thing." As he continued, Troy could see the understanding dawn in her and when her eyes went wide, he knew that reality came crashing back down.

He caught her wide gaze. "It's going to be okay."

She glance warily at him. "But you're my boss."

"Are we seriously back there again?" He asked exasperated. "Why are you resisting this? Us?"

She didn't answer. She didn't know how to.

Annoyed, Troy moved away. He needed to think. And being around her, surrounded by her jasmine scent wasn't helping. "I warned you earlier, there's no going back. Not after what happened between us just now. Don't you feel it?"

She quelled a shiver. He continued, "This has something to do with some guy, am I right? You're afraid to get closer to me because some asshole fucked it up for the rest of us."

Anger reflected in her eyes. "Fuck you. You don't know me."

Crossing his arms, he leaned against his desk. "I may have only spent a couple of hours with you but I know the woman behind that façade you put up. You're scared to get hurt so you run away from any man that can potentially knock down those walls of yours."

He was right. Every word he uttered was spot on and she didn't know if she should scream or kiss him. Being with someone who knew her so well, could read her in a way that no one ever has - especially when they've only spent a few hours together and almost half of those were spent in bed, was frightening, especially for a woman like herself who shut herself away. And so, she lashed out. "You know nothing about me. So just shut up."

Troy had been studying her face, watching the interplay of emotions wash over her. He stalked towards her, glowering furiously at her. "You've never had a one-night stand before. You haven't been kissed the way that I kiss you. You haven't been touched the way I touch you. You haven't been -"

"Okay, we get it. You're the first guy that made my skin tingle," she said, stopping him before he went into details. She looked up into his face, "but _this_ - us, I can't."

"Can't or won't?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her towards him. "Damn it, stop running away. Did that asshole hurt you that bad that you aren't willing to give us a chance?" The last few words he all but shouted. "You said so yourself, you aren't scared of me, so what the fuck are you scared of?"

Gabriella, tried to stop herself from crying, could see the unbridled fury in his eyes. She could see the frustration, the anger and especially the hurt reflect in his crystal blue eyes. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why she was resisting. Why she was putting up a fight when every being in her screamed for her to take the chance. Her mother often said that all the really grand moments in her life required a little bit of courage, a deep breath, and with eyes wide open, a leap of faith. Every moment, every novel memory came with an consuming trepidation because we often fear what we do not know. And that fear, as she said, was how we know that whatever choice we have to make, whatever act we have to do was worthwhile.

She knew that taking that leap was something she had to do. Like she told him, she wasn't afraid of him. She was however, scared of the thought of a 'them', just the prospect a new relationship. After Mark, she was afraid. She was never inspired enough to take that leap of faith. Not until Troy Bolton came along. With one glance, he had sent her heart beating. With one touch, he had sent her skin on fire. He was the only guy that made her feel alive. And that's what scared her to the core. He was the only one that made her feel again. And with that comes the huge possibility of getting hurt. Now the question was, was she ready to take that chance?

"Give us a chance." He murmured, pleaded.

Gabriella looked up. She met his gaze. His angry and tumultuous. Hers confused and panicked. Her mouth felt dry; she moistened her lips and gave him her answer.

* * *

"Sucks that both Troy and Gabi couldn't come tonight." Taylor stated as she sat down across from Sharpay and next to Chad. She gave Chad a peck before apologizing for being late to dinner.

One hand up in the air to get the attention of the waitress, Chad asked, "You haven't told her?"

Fluffing her napkin across her lap, Sharpay answered, "Well I thought you did?"

"You're the girl. Isn't what happened something you tell your friend immediately right after?"

Sharpay's eyebrow rose. "Gossip isn't the only thing we women do"

Looking back at her boyfriend and friend who continued on to bicker about the complexities of the gender issue, Taylor interrupted, "Hello, care to fill me in on the details?"

"…chauvinistic, arrogant pig."

"Pig?" Chad scoffed, "I'm sure you can do better than that, wench."

"Wench? What are you, living in the olden times?"

"Oh, you think you're so funny now huh?"

"Guys?! People are starting to look."

"You self-centered asshole…"

Slamming one hand on the table, Taylor looked sternly at the two of them. "Would you stop acting like two year olds and tell me what happened?" The look in Taylor's eyes was enough to shut them up.

"You tell her." Chad said.

"No, you're her boyfriend."

"And you're her friend whom she has known longer." He countered.

Clenching her fist, Taylor demanded, "If in ten seconds, no one tells me what happened, I will take this kni -"

"Troy is Gabi's Adonis."

"My best friend is with your best friend." As he said this, Chad inconspicuously grabbed the knife while Sharpay explained the exact details of Troy's and Gabriella's fated encounter to a surprised Taylor.

* * *

Taylor Mckessie wasn't one who was easily shocked. All throughout high school, she had everyone pegged. She can just look into an individual and knew who they were as a person. She was perceptive. She was insightful. And since she thought she knew the other person, she could anticipate their actions and reactions, leaving no room for shock or surprises. But sometimes, being so in tuned with others made her so out of tune with those closest to her. In her mind, since she already got to know who they were inside and out, that its done, that there were no more layers to uncover. Which was why she wasn't shocked to find her best friend alone in their darkened apartment crying her heart out. Taylor found it sad that she knew, despite Chad's and Sharpay's optimism, that it wouldn't be that easy for her best friend to be with another guy. She hated herself for thinking that any minute now, as she had dinner with Chad and Sharpay, that she'll get a call from Gabriella, crying and bemoaning the fact that things didn't work out. A part of her anticipated the call. And the other part, well, the other part hoped that Gabriella finally found the courage to jump. An hour into dinner, she got the call.

She met Gabriella when they were just twelve years old. Gabriella was a transfer student who came in during the latter part of the school year. One look and Taylor knew that Gabriella was what she considered a living contradiction. She was beautiful and yet whenever anyone complimented her, her cinnamon brown eyes went wide in surprise, unsure of how to respond to that particular comment, as if she couldn't comprehend that beautiful would be a word used to describe her. She was humble. She was assertive. She was shy. Because of all the tragedies that happened in her life, Gabriella was a realist. She didn't believe in fairytales. She was closed off to the rest of the world but presented a very welcoming and happy-go-lucky persona. She was confident about herself, knew who she was, knew her strengths and her weaknesses and yet, she hid herself from the world, only letting a selected few in. At first, Taylor thought that it had something to do with her father abandoning her. But she was wrong when she later found out that despite the desertion, she still had a loving relationship, albeit a dysfunctional one with her father. If there was one thing Taylor couldn't figure out, it was Gabriella's contradictions. She thought of a few postulates but none ever held true. Until Mark came along.

Mark Davis was a classmate of Taylor from college. One look at Gabriella and Mark was infatuated. And so, she arranged for the two to meet. One date later and both were completely enamored with each other. Four years later, Gabriella was left with a broken heart while Mark gallivanted off with another woman. Mark was Gabriella's first real relationship. She put all her dreams into a guy who turned out to be cheater. He wasn't a cheater for the entire duration of their relationship. In fact, if Gabriella hadn't found out about the other woman, Mark would have proposed. You see, Mark was the kind of guy who saw her best friend as a trophy wife. Smart, beautiful, dedicated, she was the kind of woman that would help further Mark's goals. He wanted to be a politician. And in his mind, with Gabriella on his arm and his mistress back in her apartment, that he could have it all. When Taylor confronted him about it, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I love Gabriella, I do. But men like me, we don't get tied down forever with just one woman." It was the first time Taylor Mckessie punched someone.

After that break-up, Gabriella went back into her shell. She was but a shadow of her previous self. It was then Taylor realized and figured her best friend out. Gabriella was a dreamer, an idealist. She dreamt these big and splendid dreams. And she put them in the hands of her significant other because despite her dreams and aspirations, Gabriella didn't have the courage to actually step out of her box and experience those dreams first hand. She dreamt of meeting Troy again but at the first sign of pain, she ran. She dreamt of opening her heart to another man again and forgetting Mark but seeing Troy, with his arms wide open, she bolted.

Gabriella Montez was a dreamer. But the tragic thing was, she lost the desire to go on, to love again, to experience life fully, to fight for the sensations that made life and love beautiful. Which was why Taylor Mckessie wasn't all that surprised that Gabriella ran away from Troy. Again.

* * *

Okay, I have no idea how the last part got _that_ dramatic since it wasn't planned but I sort of like it. I'm guessing that none of thought that would happen to Troy and Gabi. Told you, things get heated - just not in a good way.

Reviews are much appreciated.


	4. Falling Action

_AN:_ Wow, all I can say is wow. The response I've been getting just blows me away. Thank you so much. I have never averaged 13 reviews a chapter so thank you. I didn't even reach the 40 mark until the 9th chapter of Ghost of a Good Thing. So thank you.

In regards to some concern, this story is very much a Troyella story. Its TG all the way. They just encounter a few bumps in the road. And I know this chapter is much shorter than the other three but it does lend itself nicely to the element of "falling action" so it is intended that this is going to be short. This chapter is primarily just to showcase the effects of what happened at the "climax".

I heard the new song, "Can I Have This Dance" and I just fell in love with this pairing all over again. Which means more inspiration for me and more stories for you. Right now, I am in the middle of finishing a one-shot, editing the first chapter of another short story I'll be posting in the near future and pretty much hammering out the details for another, yes, another short story. All this came out the second I heard the full version of "Can I Have This Dance", so I can't imagine how inspired I'll be once the actual movie comes out. Although despite the uplifting message of the song, the two short stories I have at hand are angst to the core. Oh, well.

Enjoy. Again, few cuss words thrown around.

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own anything.

* * *

_Don't stop here  
I lost my place  
I'm close behind_

**Collide**

Chad ran a thumb at the bridge of his nose to rub the throbbing spot between his brows. Thanks to Troy and Gabriella, he was getting one bitch of a headache. One minute, he was having a somewhat relaxing dinner with Taylor and Sharpay and next thing he knew, both girls bolt, mumbling something about their friend and a breakdown. A few minutes later, he got a call from May, asking him if he could pick up Troy, drunk off his ass at a bar. And the night went downhill after that. Hours later, while he helped May sober Troy up, he sat in his best friend's living room, watching him groan in pain. As he sat in front of Troy, he couldn't help but feel bad for him. Laying there, he looked like he just lost everything that was important to him. And Chad didn't know how to help him. No wonder he was getting a headache.

"I'm sorry about this man, I didn't mean to ruin your night."

Chad blinked to clear his vision. "You're my best friend. I got your back. And besides, this isn't the first time I had to carry your drunk ass home." He ended, trying to lighten the pensive mood in the room.

Troy only grunted in response.

He sighed. "Wanna talk about it?"

His best friend was silent for a moment. One hand over his eyes and the other atop his stomach, Troy looked helpless. "There's really nothing to talk about. She's scared."

"So, you're not going to tell me what really happened with Ella?" Chad prodded.

"I'll tell you once I figure it out myself," Troy murmured, confusion laden in his voice. "One second, we're making out and the next, we're fighting."

Chad hesitated but as his best friend, he needed to ask. After all, ever since Troy met this girl, he has moped around, trying to find her and when he finally did, instead of rejoicing, Troy only ended up with one hell of a hangover. He cleared his throat. "Is she worth it?"

Troy didn't even blink. "Yeah, she is."

"Look, no offense all right? But you've only met this girl twice now. First time, you spent the whole night with her. So, sex is good. Second time you met her, you fucking drink yourself into oblivion. I'm only asking because I'm your best friend but from what I can see, you've been in pain more than you've been -"

"Chad," Troy said wearily, "I don't know how to explain it but with Ella, I feel different. Not to sound all girly on you but I think she's 'it'. I've never felt more alive and I'm not giving her up."

Chad could only nod. "Okay. So what's the plan?"

"What plan?"

"To get Gabi back?"

Troy contemplated for a second. "I'm assuming she had a relationship turn ugly which is why she's resisting. So I guess I'll just have to wait it out, wait for her to realize. Because I sure as hell am not forcing her into a relationship she's not ready for. She gotta come to me."

"Sounds like a good -" In the middle of his sentence, Chad was interrupted by the door bell ringing. Standing up, he headed towards the front door, but not before reminding Troy to drink May's 'best cure for a hangover'.

Sounding like petulant child, "Do I have too? It taste disgusting."

"But it works", Chad calls out as he turned the doorknob. And came face to face with his girlfriend.

"Tro- Chad?" Taylor asked before grabbing something in her purse. "Did I get the wrong address or something?"

"If you're looking for Troy, then you got the right one."

"Oh, okay. Is he home?"

Glancing back at the living room and seeing Troy occupied with the flower pot, he closed the door and stepped out into the hallway with Taylor. "If this is about Ella -"

Bewildered, she asked who 'Ella' was.

"Oh, its Gabriella. The night at the club, someone called Gabi that name so…Anyways, as I was saying, if this is you coming here to scream at Troy for making Gabi cry, you better rethink that decision. Because as much as I like you, I have known that guy in there since we were still wearing diapers. And **your** best friend has put him in such a rollercoaster ride that seems to always land **my** best friend in pain."

Taylor sighed. "I'm not here to scream at Troy. In fact, I'm here to do the opposite and apologize."

She could see that Chad was hesitating. "I just really need to talk to him, Chad. Please?"

Chad opened the door and motion for her to go in. As he closed the door, he screamed, "You better not be dumping that drink in the flower pot, Bolton."

"Do you really have to scream? Someone's nursing a hangover here in case you conveniently forgot," was heard after a groan of pain.

Entering the living room, Taylor could see the ends of Troy's sock-covered feet at the end of the couch. Next to her, Chad moved across the area, picking up a glass and arching an eyebrow at his best friend before grabbing onto the flower pot on the side table. From his place in the couch, Taylor heard Troy grumble, "Its disgusting dude… and look at the plant, its starting to wilt already. That drink is not good for me or for the plant."

"Suck it up, dude. Thankfully, May knew you would pull something like this so she made more."

Troy groaned and this time, not in pain.

On his way to the kitchen, bringing the glass and the flower pot with him, Chad announced, "Oh, and you have a guest."

Taylor took it as her cue to move. She walked across the room and stood in front of Troy. At the sight of her, Troy tried to get up but she told him there was no need. He got up anyways but his headache only allowed him to sit up and lean against the couch.

"Got drunk last night?" She asked, trying to start a conversation.

Troy looked nonchalant. "Can you blame me?"

Taylor grimaced. She apologized just in time for Chad to come back with another glass of something disgusting looking.

"Drink up." Looking back and forth at his girlfriend and his best friend, he decided that now was the time to make his exit. "I'll leave you two alone. Be back in like an hour since I need to stop by my place to get some papers." Chad grabbed his coat and before he closed the door, he warned, "Play nice." To whom it was directed to, both Troy and Taylor did not know.

An awkward silence surrounded the room.

Troy sighed. "Look, Taylor, if it is about Gabriella, there really is no need to -"

"But there is. So just let me talk. Please."

Again, Troy tried to dissuade her.

Taylor bit her lip. "Don't interrupt me," she started authoritatively, "I have something to say and I need to say it before I lose my nerve because this isn't exactly something I should be telling you."

"Then don't." Troy stated but with her glaring eyes pointed at him, he acquiesced, "…or, you can start talking."

She cleared her throat and started from the very beginning. Telling Troy about Gabriella's somewhat tumultuous childhood. About her high school and college years. And eventually, Taylor told him about Mark Davis. From the very first date to the fated night Gabriella found him in bed with another woman, Taylor told him everything, every single detail of her best friend's rocky relationship and its aftermath, hoping that Troy will inevitably understand why Gabriella kept running away. Why she was so scared of letting anyone in.

"…wanted you to know the other side of the story. Gabi would freak if she knew but desperate times call for -"

"I already figured it had something to do with a guy." Troy acknowledged, "Ella's reaction just proved it. How is she, by the way?"

Taylor smiled slightly. "Crying. Resisting. The usual Gabriella response. She's a tough girl." The smile turned melancholy, cynical even. "But sometimes, I don't know if its just a façade. Life broke her down and she picked herself up as best as she could. And she moved on but she's still that same girl who looked at the world with these innocent eyes."

Troy knew exactly what she meant.

Taylor continued, "She really likes you. And I know she hasn't said so in so many words but she does. So please don't give up on her. She's stubborn but -"

Again, Troy interrupted. "That was what I was trying to tell you earlier. There's no need to say anything because I never gave up on her. I'm not about to let go on the one girl that made me feel like my life actually has purpose."

Looking up, Troy glimpsed laughter in Taylor's eyes. "What?"

Taylor hid a grin. "Nothing, its just that, for someone to be _that_ corny, they really must like feel strongly for the other person."

"I'm not gonna hurt her. That much I can promise you." Troy swore earnestly.

"I know. You're a good man, Troy Bolton. And I believe that my best friend just met her match."

* * *

In another part of town, a rather similar conversation was occurring.

Dressed in her lounge clothes, hair in disarray and dried mascara smeared in her face, Gabriella stood in front of Chad Danforth, wishing for the imminent exchange to end just so she can go back in bed and wallow.

"If you're here to scream at me for hurting Troy, save your breath. I'm staying away," she said, not even bothering to wait for his greeting.

Chad inwardly smiled at hearing the similar sentiment he said to Taylor earlier. But the smile immediately went away the second he heard that she was staying away from Troy.

His gaze sharpened on hers. Small talk went out the window and he just went straight to it. "Listen, I don't know what happened to make you so cynical and scared. In fact, I'm completely judging you just based on what you did to Troy and nothing else, maybe there's more to it than just being fucking terrified about love but my best friend likes you. A lot. And from where I'm standing right now, I don't understand why."

Chad knew he should stop. That taking out his anger on her wasn't acceptable. That it wasn't his business. He initially thought that he could calmly try and explain things to her, to make her understand that by walking away, she's making a mistake. Damn, Troy liked her. And she needed to see reason. Beating around the bush won't work with this girl, he thought.

"I'm sure there's a lot more to it than that. Considering I've never actually met you prior to today, there's a lot about you that I don't understand. A lot I don't know. You know, maybe it is better that you do stay away, but its not my choice to make. But I saw you that night with Troy. He's never been more alive than when he was with you. And I saw you guys yesterday when you locked eyes with him, and I know you feel the same way. That attraction was palpable, even Danes saw it. There was a connection there. There still is. Troy knows it. You know it. Underneath all that walls and façade you put up, you know that there's something special between the two of you. So, piece of advice, you're a bigger fool than I thought if you walk away a third time. Stop running."

Gabriella was stunned. Throughout Chad's long diatribe, she refused to look him directly in the eye because she was scared of the truth she would see in his eyes. She didn't argue with him. She didn't need to. Because every single thing he said was true. Every single accusation hit too close to home. How can you argue with the truth when it was staring at you right in the face?

Wrapped in her own misery, Gabriella didn't even notice when Chad left the apartment, leaving her with her own conflicting thoughts, but not before he said, "I'm sorry if I came off as a bastard but you have to stop running. And I'm not saying it so you can be with Troy. I'm saying it so you can be happy."

* * *

Over the next few days, Gabriella kept to herself. A routine was quickly established where she dodged and evaded Taylor, Sharpay, Troy and even Chad. She went to work, went home and by the time Taylor got in the apartment, she was already asleep. She avoided every one. It wasn't until she saw how pathetic she became that she realized that all this running only made her miserable. Which was ironic since she ran away so she wouldn't be miserable. In ten years, would she look back on this and remember Troy with an ache in her heart and regret not taking that chance? Would she always wonder about the what-ifs? Would she be like her mother, afraid to let herself love again?

Taylor's words from the night she ran away from Troy rang in her head.

_Rushing home, Taylor nudged the front door open. All the lights were off which shrouded the whole apartment with an eerie and pensive mood._

_"Gabi?" She called out. Movement made Taylor looked down. She squinted, and thanks to the New York lights, she could make out her best friend as she was slumped down on the floor of the living room. Taylor ran to her and on the way, she turned on a lamp shade. Light filled the room._

_And then she clearly saw Gabriella. Her eyes were brimming with tears._

_"Oh, Gabi." Taylor muttered as she leaned down to get a better look at her friend._

_Gabriella let out a cry, more like a combination of a whimper and a moan, and threw her arms around Taylor. Her whole body jerked with sobs and Taylor could only hug her in return and try and soothe her._

_"Talk to me, Gabs". It wasn't everyday that she called her best friend 'Gabs'. It was an endearment, something from their childhood, a nickname that they both outgrew. But times like these, where Gabriella was hysterical with tears, Taylor couldn't help but feel like she was back in her pre-teen years all over again, unsure, clueless at what to do in situations like this. It wasn't like Gabriella to fall apart like this. Not even when her father left her. Not even when Mark cheated on her._

_She said something but the muddled utterance made no sense to Taylor._

_"Gabs, you need to calm down okay. Breathe." She calmly instructed._

_Gabriella, through the tears, did as she was told. It took a couple of minutes before she was calm enough to speak. She opened her eyes. And in the light from the lamp, Taylor could she her red eyes, tear tracks glistening on her cheeks._

_"Oh gawd, Tay." Gabriella whispered, "It was awful. He was right there, ready and willing and I left. Ran away as usual."_

_Taylor made her tell the whole story, from beginning to end._

_"He said I should take a chance. And I wanted to. So badly. I really wanted to." Gabriella gulped. "And when I thought that I could finally do it, this huge wave of fear came stumbling down on me", she hiccupped, "and then I ran like a coward."_

_Taylor could only smooth her tangled hair and console her as another wave of tears began._

_"Why can't I just take that chance?" Gabriella shrieked, "What's wrong with me? Why can't I be happy?"_

_"Sometimes, it haunts me that I let him do this do you. For so long, the signs were there. But you seemed happy so I didn't say anything. I suspected that something was going on but I just let it continue," Gabriella could almost feel the sadness in Taylor's voice. "You haven't moved. You don't love him and I don't think you actually ever did. And that is what's so tragic about this, Gabs, don't you see? You've closed your heart. You've moved on, from Mark, yes. But you haven't moved on from the pain that you felt that moment you saw him with that girl."_

_Sobbing, she launched herself back into Taylor's arms._

By the third day of her self-imposed isolation, she made a decision and bought a plane ticket to Boston.

* * *

I know, this chapter leaves you hanging but remember, TG all the way. And the last chapter will prove to be very emotional, electric, yes electric and ultimately satisfying, not just for you readers but for Troy and Gabriella as well.

The next chapter hopefully will be up early next week but I have two exams and several extra curricular activities that will take up much of my time so I'm apologizing in advance now if it does take longer.

Reviews are much appreciated.


	5. Dénouement

_AN:_ Finally, the last chapter. Thank you so much for all the reviews. It means the world to me.

There's a lot in this chapter. It gets cheesy and it gets heated. At times, its borderline cliché and corny but seeing as the Troyella storyline is cliché at its best, I figured I wasn't stretching it.

Enjoy.

I apologize for any grammatical errors, this has not be proof-read yet.

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own anything.

* * *

_Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme  
Out of the doubt that fills your mind  
You finally find, you and I collide_

**Collide**

One kiss. She just needed one - to reassure herself that she was making the right choice. She had to know. And besides, when it came to him, she had never been one to resist the pleasure that his kisses and his touch wrought.

The instant his hand touched the back of her waist, she knew she was a goner. The instant her breast touched his chest, she knew there was no going back. Not from this. Not from him. One large hand clasped her nape, the other, tipped her head back as he lowered his lips above hers. Bent his head to set his lips on hers. His fingers found the buttons of her coat, a minute later, it slid from her shoulders and onto the floor. He slid one hand under her shirt, caressed the skin he found there. He sensed the hitch in her breathing, heard the fluster in her voice when she uttered his name, felt the anticipation build up within her. Inwardly, he smirked. His lips a mere inch away from hers, he murmured, "I missed you."

She didn't bother replying to that. Instead, she just let her actions speak for her. Inch by inch, her hands crept upwards, until they slid over his broad shoulders. She angled her head, inviting him to deepen the kiss. And he did. His lips remained on hers as his hands idly touched her body. And when he closed one hand about her breast, tugging her shirt upward as he went, she felt like she was free falling. He caressed, taunted, kneaded until she could take no more. He paused from his ministrations, easing back from their kiss so he could remove her shirt, deliberately pulling the silk fabric over her sensitized skin. Smoothly, he threw her shirt across the room. Wishing to keep things even, she responded in turn. Sliding her fingers down his sweater vest, she found the buttons to his jeans. At the corner of her eye, she could see him staring, attentive, conscientious of what she was doing. She smirked and tugged his jeans free from him. He helped, of course, eager to be rid of the garment. In fact, after the jeans were thrown across the room, in the same direction as her shirt, his sweater vest and striped shirt followed. Not to be outdone, she stripped away all her clothes, leaving her only clad in her lacy underwear.

She wasn't surprised by the predatory gleam in his eyes as his gaze took her in, staring blatantly at her body. More so, his actions that followed was not surprising at all. He was, after all, predictably all male. He took her lips again, too hungry, too needy. Coupled with the kiss, his hands roamed and with no more fabric separating his touch from her skin, she felt it all until she was left clinging to him, moaning at his sensual touch. Her flesh was warm and with every single contact, her skin came alive. When breathing became compulsory, he lifted his head, tentatively ending the kiss. Wantonly, she pressed herself fully to him, driving him over the edge.

"Bed," he groaned against her neck as she kissed her way down his chest.

In response, she shifted her hips sensuously against his, reveling in the feel of her against him. "Too far" was her whimpered answer.

"Too bad, I'm not taking you in my mother's living room." He stated before his fingers firmed in her waist and lifted her up. On impulse, she wrapped her legs around his waist and went back to kissing his well-defined chest, nudging his head so she could trace the line of his throat with her lips, predictably making him groan. Even though he couldn't see her face, she felt her smirk at hearing his response. Not wanting to be outdone, he closed his hand about the apex of her thighs.

Her breathing hitched.

It was his turn to smirk. "Two can play that game, babe."

She murmured incoherently, still too wrapped up with what his hands where doing to her body. Her back connected to the wall, shaking some of the picture frames attached, thankfully, none fell. He lowered his head to stifle her scream as her orgasm overcame her. And when the wondrous feeling subsided, her head sank into his shoulder, too tired to prop herself up as she tried to control her breathing. In turn, he only tightened his hold on her, more than satisfied at giving her pleasure.

"I don't think I can ever walk in this hallway without reliving this moment." His grin turns comical. "And knowing my mother, her sixth sense will be tingling and she'll look at me with those eyes of hers and know what happened right at this spot."

She might have had some trouble breathing but she sure as hell didn't have trouble laughing her heart out at his statement and the accompanied incredulous expression on his face.

"You think that's funny huh?" He asked. "Wait until she gives you that knowing smile of hers, you'd be embarrassed too. Just imagine, my mother looking at you, knowing that right at this spot, you've been a naughty, naughty girl." He ends with brows going up and down.

Her expression turns scandalous. "She would not."

"You'll meet her soon enough. And then you can decide for yourself."

The mood became serious. "Meeting the parents already?" she shyly asked.

He smiles but she can see worry in those magnificent eyes of his. "Well, don't you think its time that they meet my girlfriend already? That is if you'll have me as your boyfriend. You don't have to decide now or anything but it would -"

His spiel was interrupted by her lips as she kissed him fervently. Between the two of them, words weren't always needed. Actions still spoke so much louder than words. He carried her to his childhood bedroom, bumping into side tables and other furniture along the way. And when he finally reached his bedroom, he didn't bother with turning the lights on. He only had an eye for one thing: having her on his bed.

Laying her on the queen-sized bed, he studied her for a moment. With only the moon as his light, she looked ethereal, delicate even. Her sun-kissed skin glowing and her ebony locks spread over the pillow, he felt like gloating. He was a lucky man to have her back in his life. With the back of a knuckle, he traced the delicate curve of her cheek and she, in turn, looked adoringly at him. She ran her slender hands over his bare chest, reveling in the feeling of his buff physique.

"Whenever you touch me," she whispered as she studied him, "I can barely think. I even forget to breathe. All I know is that I can't get enough of you."

He groaned. "You will be death of me, Gabriella." He said, his voice thick with lust and longing. "Gawd, I want you."

She cupped her hand over his lips, her gaze aching with the same emotion that was reflected in his eyes. "Kiss me."

"If I kiss you, there's no going back. So don't tempt me with something you're not ready for." He cautioned her, repeating the same exact words he uttered the second time they met.

Recognition at his same words dawned in her hazel brown eyes. "Kiss me."

"No second thoughts?" he asked, just to be sure.

She shook her head. "None. Not this time."

He needed no other invitation. It was all he needed to hear before he kissed her senseless. His hand peeled her underwear of her and she did the same to his boxers. Before long, both of them were naked. Flesh to flesh. Skin to skin. Leaving them both wanting more.

He began to trail feather-light kissed down her neck, up her arm, trailing his lips all over her body until she shivered with delight, until her body gave way to pleasure. He loved everything about her. The way her lashes fluttered close whenever he kissed a tender spot. The way she moaned. The way she tried to swallow a strangled cry when he teased her breast. The way her fingers made a fist in his hair as she tried to draw him back down to her. The way her body arched, the way her mouth opened with a silent scream when he entered her. Everything about her was simply magical. He has never felt this much desire towards another human being, never felt such passion whenever they touched. And despite the intensity of their feelings, all consuming, despite the high chances that they might be rushing back into this too soon, Troy Bolton would not have it any other way.

* * *

"_What the hell is that?" Chad demanded when Sharpay entered Troy's apartment carrying some sort of food concoction. _

_Doing a balancing act, Sharpay took off her coat and glanced at the plate she held in one hand, "What does it look like?"_

_Chad frowned. "I wouldn't ask if I knew, would I?"_

_Sharpay tossed her purse in Chad's direction as he sat in the couch. "Sometimes I really wonder what Taylor sees in you." _

"_That doesn't answer my question." Chad stated, ignoring Sharpay's jab. His eyes squinted, "Is that like some sort of cake?" _

"_Well, let's see, if it looks like a cake, I suppose that's probably what it is." _

_Chad narrowed an eye. "You're not exactly expecting us to eat that, are you?" _

"_Where's the kitchen?" She asked instead._

_Chad pointed in the kitchen's direction and followed her into the room. Once there, Sharpay opened the refrigerator and placed the weird cake inside. _

_An dumbfounded look passed over Chad's face. "You really are expecting us to eat that…that thing."_

_Seeing the wine in the kitchen counter, Sharpay plucked a wine glass and poured herself some of the liquid then eyed the bushy haired man in front of her. "It may not be the best looking cake but I can guarantee that it's the best cake you'll taste. Sometimes, its not the outside that matters, its what is in the inside. Although that certainly isn't the case with you since your inside is like a rotten egg." That last part she muttered under her breath. _

_And of course, Chad heard the mumbled reply and chose to defend himself. What followed was another 'debate' between the two. _

_At the entrance of the kitchen stood Troy and Taylor, amusement dancing in their eyes as they watched their friends bicker back and forth about the most nonsensical things. _

"_I'm sorry Gabriella couldn't make it to lunch." Troy said._

_Taylor sent him a confused glance. "Well, you did send her on a last minute business trip to Boston."_

_It was Troy's turn to looked confusedly at Taylor. "I didn't send here anywhere."_

"_Well, if you want to get technical, Chad sent her to some business trip since Gabi is under his department". She answered with a roll of her eyes._

_Troy ignored the rolling of the eyes and explained, "You don't understand. There's no business trips anywhere this week. From what Chad said, she used some of her sick days to go to Boston for some family emergency or something."_

_Worry filled both their eyes. "Why Boston?" they both inwardly ask themselves. And suddenly, it was as if a light bulb lit in Taylor's head. She shot a panicked look at Troy and whispered, "Mark Davis." _

_In the background, Sharpay and Chad continued to argue._

"_Oh please, whenever you women say that 'It's nothing'," Chad states, giving a pretty good impersonation of Sharpay as he said it. "It usually means there's something." _

"_Because you men are stupid enough to not read between the lines. Everything have to be spelled out for you."_

"_Well, if you didn't complicate matters by being so ambiguous then there will be no unnecessary drama that you women always seem to surround yourself with."_

_Sharpay flashed him a fiery glare. "Oh, look who's talking? You men always get into this pissy territorial competition shit over nothing acting like some Neanderthal with all that chest-thumping machismo. Talk about drama…"_

* * *

Gabriella drifted up from a deep slumber sometime later to find herself right where she was meant to be - in Troy's arms. She felt like chastising herself for even thinking, even if it was just for a moment, that staying away from him was a good idea, not just for him but for her too. Staying away from him meant that he didn't have to deal with all her emotional baggage. Staying away from him meant that she had lesser chances of getting hurt. It was easier to run away than deal with the consequences of her actions. But meeting Mark, hashing over their past allowed her to finally realize what she was missing, what she was giving up on if she ran away from Troy again.

Happiness. Love. Friendship. Passion. Devotion. Commitment.

In the shadows, it was so easy to imagine that it was just the two of them - Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, that the world has simply fallen away. Tonight was so much like the first night they spent together. But this time, she wasn't leaving like a thief in the night like before. Tonight, she was staying.

"You said you loved me."

Slumped on his chest, Gabriella was surprised to find him awake. He felt her shrug. "It's the truth. And I know that we barely know each other but I just feel it. I've often ran away, it's the story of my life. But with you, I ran harder. The fear was bigger. That's how I know that I love you, because the kind of fear that I feel, its shows me that its worthwhile. That freefalling into the unknown with you is worth it."

Troy was sprawled on his back and as his hand lingered on her hair, he confessed, "I know nothing about love. I mean, I know what it means to be loved by a mother, by a father, by a friend. But never by a woman. I've never been in love." His hand closed on her nape and stroked soothingly. "I wanna return the sentiment, but all this is so new to me. But I need you to know, you're the only woman that I want. Not just because the sex is mind blowing," he added to lighten the mood, "but because with you, I come alive. You're mine. And if that is what love is, that all consuming feeling of fear and happiness and devotion all rolled into one, then I do love you Gabriella Montez."

His genuine and rousing assurance in his words struck Gabriella to the heart. In her place on his side, she could hear his heart beating, slow and steady.

"This isn't going to be easy." She proclaimed.

"We left easy a long time ago." He countered before she found herself flat on her back, his Adonis face hovering only inches above hers.

"The question is, are you ready to go into the unknown with me?"

Gabriella looped her arms around his strong neck. "You lead and I'll follow."

His hand moved down, stroking her back before he closed his arms about her. "Good, because I wouldn't have it any other way."

Troy nuzzled her ear, then his lips touched her skin, and lingered. He lowered his head and found her lips in a kiss loaded with sensual delight. Soon, things turn heated and before long, both of them were left wanting more, driving themselves both insane with desire.

But it was so worth it.

* * *

_Gabriella tapped her fingers impatiently at the office counter as she waited for the dim-witted secretary to come back. It felt like she had been waiting for forever when it reality, it has only been less than five minutes. Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, the secretary named Claudia came back sporting an annoyed expression on her face. Gabriella was sure her facial expression matched the disgruntled employee. _

"_He will see you now." Her tone none-too-pleased when she said it._

_Feeling like gloating, Gabriella looked haughtily at the secretary before her, "Told you, he knew who I am."_

_Said secretary just muttered something under her breath. Gabriella, more than annoyed, was itching for a fight. But instead, she swallowed the insane urge to argue with the girl, hurrying towards his office. However, upon reaching his door, butterflies starting fluttering in her stomach. She was definitely nervous now. For one brief second, she considered turning back. And then she remembered that this was something she had to do, not just for herself but for a certain young man waiting for her. It was imperative that she go through this. She had already lied to her bosses and her friends, not to mention, she traveled all this way, the least she could do was knock. But before she could do so, the door opened and there he stood, the first man that made her heart flutter. _

"_I though I hear Claudia wrong when she said that you were here," were the first words out of his mouth before he enveloped her into a hug._

_And she felt nothing. His touch did not sent her heart fluttering the same way it used to when they were dating. Having him so near did not make her skin tingle. From some unexplainable reason, she was saddened by the lack of response on her part. For the last seven years, four of which was spent loving him, to realize now that she had never really loved him, never really felt the same way she did when she was with Troy, made Gabriella feel that all that pain, all that running away was nothing. A waste of time. For the longest time, she has let that pain and fear ruler her life. But not anymore, not when there was Troy and the possibility of a future with him to consider. _

"_Sit, sit." Mark said, clearly excited to see her._

_She nodded and took a seat at the plush chair he pulled up. He took a seat in front of her._

_The past three years has certainly been good to Mark Davis. He still had the same boyish charm that endeared him to her. His jet black hair that glistened in the sun, combined wit his tan skin definitely made him fit the bill of the quintessential 'tall, dark and dashingly handsome'. He seemed to be more confident, more sure of himself if it was even possible. Back in the day, when they first started dating, Gabrielle looked at him and thought "Prince Charming". And looking at him now, he still had that allure. In some ways, he was a darker image of Troy Bolton, both in coloring and persona. But these days, she only had eyes for sandy blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes that can see right through her. Those stunning blue eyes, with just one look, can make her heart flutter, make her feel special and loved without even touching her. _

"_It's been what, three years since I last saw you?" he asked._

_Gabriella muttered some response. _

_Mark smiled. "Are you actually gonna say anything or mumble and nod your way through this conversation…"_

"_Sorry." she said, timidly smiling at him. _

"_Finally, she speaks." And Gabriella couldn't help but laugh. He may have been an asshole of a boyfriend during the last year of their relationship but for the first three, he was the epitome of a guy that you brought home to your parents. _

"_I'm sorry, for barging in like this but -"_

"_No big deal, Gabriella. So, what brings you by? Last I heard, you were in climbing the corporate ladder in New York." _

_She rubbed her neck in timidity. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. What about you, the hot shot lawyer who already inherited his father's place in this agency."_

_His smile turned somber. "Seems the last three years did us some good."_

_Gabriella offered a tentative smile. _

"_I never really got a chance to apologize." He started but Gabriella interrupted him but Mark could not be deterred. "Please, I was an asshole back then. I really am sorry for how things between us ended. I tried calling but Taylor, well, you know how Taylor gets."_

_She couldn't help it. She had to ask now. "Why did you cheat on me?"_

_Mark shot her a wary glance. "Gabi -"_

"_Please, I need to know. To get some closure or something. For the past three years, I've carried this weight inside of me. This feeling of inferiority, like I wasn't enough, that's why you cheated. And I need to know why... it's the very least you could do." _

"_Shit, I never thought you felt that way." He ran a hand over his hair. "It wasn't about you. And I know it sounds trite but what I did wasn't because I thought you weren't enough. If fact, it was quite the opposite. You had everything going for you. Your future was set. You had your dreams and nothing was going to stop you. I was envious to tell you that truth. At that time, we had been together for three years and I could see myself settling with you, having a family and the career. But you have to admit, that spark between us was slowly fading."_

_Gabriella sighed and conceded the point with a nod. _

_He continued, "I knew I should have ended things when I realized that but back then, you were the greatest thing that happened to me. I couldn't let you go. Coupled with the fact that I was young and cocky, I thought I could have it all. The girl. The dream. I only cared for myself, for my future. I'm not proud of what I did. I was a selfish bastard -"_

"_You were," she stated. It felt good saying that. "I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that you didn't break me. Cause you did. And for the longest time, I was so hurt that I closed my heart to any potential guy that came my way. I moved on from you because you're right, we were falling out of love with each other. Hell, I don't even know if we actually were in love. But seeing you with that woman, I couldn't help but feel inadequate. That despite everything, I was never enough, not for you or my dad." _

_Trying to hold back her tears, she looked away and took a moment to compose herself. "But then, this amazing guy came into my life, and out of nowhere, without even trying, he started chipping at the walls I built around me. He appreciated me, flaws and all. And the most astonishing thing is, I already ran from him twice but he stayed... I guess I came here to face that fear, so I can finally move on with my life. I owe him that much. I already wasted three years to running away, I think its time that I stood still and live. " _

* * *

Hours later, after their intense joining, both Troy and Gabriella simply laid in the bed and savored what had happened, enjoying their closeness. Her body laid curled around his, her long ebony locks was a tumbled mess in his chest and her arms and he could feel her proximity to his bones. They were both tired but sated. Content. Happy.

From above him, her voice drifted through the darkness, ending the peace that pervaded the room. "My dad left when I was ten. Old enough to realize the ramifications of his abandonment but young enough to not fully understand it. Growing up, he was always gone, off to some business trip so when he actually left, it didn't faze me. Its messed up but it was normal, you know."

"Ella…" He murmured against the soft skin of her throat. "You don't have to -"

"But I do." She eased back against him and looked into those same blue eyes that held so much love. "My relationship with my father now may be described as dysfunctional at best. We're okay now. But for the longest time, I blamed myself. I thought that if I was a better student, a better daughter, I thought that if I was enough, that he wouldn't have left. It took a while before I realized that his leaving had nothing to do with me. But that stigma, that feeling of inadequacy stayed. I buried it deep inside of me and then it resurfaced when I found Mark in bed with another woman. She was drop dead gorgeous. Just absolutely beautiful. I wasn't surprised that he chose her."

Raising his head, Troy turned and was about to tell her that they didn't need to rehash her past but he met her shadowed eyes and he knew that she needed to get it all out.

"Mark was the first guy that made me feel special - loved. Looking back, I can see that I didn't really love him. Don't get me wrong, I obviously felt some sort of affection to have stayed in a four year relationship but it wasn't love, love. I grew up in a broken home and I just wanted something all the other kids had when they were growing up. With Mark, I saw myself having that. I needed some kind of normalcy and he gave me that. I knew we weren't meant to be. I was just deluding myself into thinking that having that feeling of normalcy was enough and when I saw him with that woman, everything came crashing down. I was forced to face reality and when I couldn't, I ran."

Brown eyes met blue. And a long moment passed as she looked pensively at him. "And then I met you."

Uncertainly and fear showed in her eyes. "I left a part of my self every time I ran. I knew it was a mistake when I ran away from you. Like I was just delaying the inevitable. The first time you kissed me, I knew that you were different. Behind all my pragmatic and no-nonsense persona, I'm a dreamer, a romantic one at that. I believed in true love, love at first sight and all that. That's why I ran harder because I knew, despite the fact that we don't know each other, I knew you're the other half of me. And that's a scary, scary thought."

It was Troy's turn to look contemplatively at her. He kept his gaze locked on her and she searched his eyes and was surprised by its intensity and his admission.

"It's ironic really. You craved the kind of family I grew up in. And I just ran away from it - until I met you. Amidst all those people in the club, you stood out. Standing right in front of me was the most stunning woman I have seen. I've only been with you for two days really but that's all I need to know the real you. "

He drew her closer to him. "I can wait till forever if you need to. You can run but just so you know, wherever you're running towards, I'll be right there, waiting for you. I'm not leaving Gabriella Montez. I'm right here. And I can't promise that our future is going to be easy. I can't promise that along the way that I won't fuck up and hurt you. I'm a man, being stupid is ingrained in us. All I can promise is my heart. So don't break it."

The moment stretched, then she declared, "When I first saw you, I was afraid. And when you kissed me, I knew I had every reason to feel afraid. I was afraid that I was going to love you. And now that I do, I'm afraid that I'm going to lose you. But I'm done running away. So if you'll have me with all my emotional baggage and all, then I'm yours forever Troy Bolton."

* * *

_Troy Bolton stood across the street as he watched numerous businessmen and employees go in and out of the Davis-Gilbert Law Agency. And from what Sharpay has managed to wring out of the snobby secretary, Mark Davis was currently in an unplanned meeting with "a very ungrateful brunette" as the secretary put it. It took both Taylor and Chad to restrain Sharpay from lashing out to the woman. And all this happened via a phone call. But as Taylor explained after the incident happened, the secretary may be miles away but a bitchy Sharpay can inflict so much tongue lashing that the distance was irrelevant. _

_Two hours later, Troy found himself in Boston, waiting impatiently for Gabriella to leave the building. Finally, he watched as the said woman went down the steps, accompanied by another man. One he assumed to be Mark Davis. His blue eyes narrowed as he watched her exchange farewells with her ex-boyfriend. The hug between the two was the last straw. He immediately crossed the street and when only a few feet separated them, he called out her name._

_She disentangled herself from Mark and bewilderedly said his name. He ignored her and went straight to the dark haired man beside her. Despite her bafflement, she smiled as Troy neared. "Troy, meet Mark Davis. Mark, I'd like you to meet Troy Bolton."_

_Troy's lids flickered, yet his charming smile remained in place. Mark smiled back and held out his hand. "Gabi told me so much about you."_

_His gaze fell on the outstretched hand before him before acknowledging Mark's words. "Sadly, I can't say the same for you."_

_In the middle, Gabriella was unsure of what was happening before her. She was about to ask what Troy was doing in Boston but he turned to Mark - and slammed his into her ex-boyfriend's jaw. _

_Gabriella blinked. Mark staggered back while clutching his jaw. Troy shrugged and straightened his shirt. _

"_Pleased to meet you." Troy said nonchalantly as if punching strangers was commonplace._

_Utterly befuddled, Gabriella rushed to Mark's side to check his jaw. Seeing some swelling, she glared at Troy. "What was _that_ for?" _

_This time, Troy smiled genuinely. "_That_ was for cheating on you."_

"_Oh, Troy."_

"_Its okay, Gabriella. I deserved it." Mark said, wincing when he touched his jaw. After a moment of studying Troy's eye, he continued, "Its high time someone did that for what I did to you back then. Although I do have to say, Taylor has good aim but no force in her punch. This guy however, has both."_

_Lips compressing, Gabriella threw Troy another glare before profusely apologizing in behalf of Troy. He, in turn, was adamant that there was nothing to apologize for. They bickered back and forth, completely ignoring Mark who watched them amusedly._

"_You can't just punch every guy that cheated on me!"_

"_There's more?"_

"_No! And that's not the point."_

"_Why are you even defending that asshole?"_

"_That asshole's name is Mark. And asshole or not, you had no right to punch him."_

"_Too late, I already did."_

"_Argh, what are you even doing here?"_

"_Well, I came here for _you_ but seeing as you two seemed pretty cozy a minute ago, maybe I should just leave you two alone."_

"_You're jealous."_

"_Am not… And stop smiling like that. I'm not jealous."_

_Silence._

"_I'm not."_

"_Whatever you say. Although there really is no need to be jealous…"_

"_Good, because I'm not."_

"…_since I'm in love with you and I just came to Boston to settle some unfinished business with Mark."_

"_Oh, okay."_

"_Okay."_

"_But I'm still not jealous."_

* * *

_One year later…_

It was that time of the year again. To celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. To spend some quality time with the family. To spread the love. The time of Christmas carols. The time of giving. And yes, for the women, the time to shop till' they drop.

"It's too scrawny."

He rolled his eyes and pointed at the previous tree she was looking at. "And that one is too bulky. The one before that was too tall. Or too short. Or too wide. Or too thin."

Her critical eye turned to him. "It's our first Christmas together. It has to be perfect."

With a sigh of resignation, he walked forward, trudging dejectedly behind her as she inspected all the evergreen coniferous trees that littered the lot.

Thirty minutes later, the 'perfect tree' was nowhere in sight. At the corner of her eye, she could see him standing there looking like a lost puppy, one hand in his pocket and the other holding onto her several shopping bags. And she felt bad.

Putting on her best puppy-dog eyes, she said, "Ten more minutes?"

And as usual, he caved. "Ten more minutes," he repeated as he carried all her shopping bags.

Ten minutes later, she stood in front of a tall Scots Pine tree. Next to her, he asked, "Is this it?"

She frowned and sighed. He took that as a sign that it wasn't 'the perfect tree'. He was beginning to think that it didn't exist, at least not the eyes of his girlfriend. They already missed a dinner reservation, the start of a series of surprises that he had planned for her. But when she asked to see Christmas trees, he couldn't resist. Not when her cinnamon brown eyes sparkled with joy and excitement. The dinner reservation was scheduled for 6:45 pm. It was now 8:00. And if they didn't leave soon, she'll miss another surprise that he had planned. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell her that and ruin her surprise. In her mind, tonight was just the two of them hanging out, doing nothing, running errands before Christmas took into high gear. But at this rate, he realized that creating his own 'right moment' wasn't happening. So, here he was, stuck in the tree yard, keeping an eye out for 'the perfect tree'.

Sneaking a glance at her watch, she saw that she still had at least thirty minutes to spare before they could go home. She's been planning this surprise for weeks now. She found out three weeks ago and the minute she got out, she knew that she had to tell him the good news immediately. And then she realized that she needed to make it special. That she had to find the right moment to tell him but the right moment never came. And so, she was making her own 'right moment' happen. Unfortunately, he wasn't exactly cooperating. Ever since they left work today, he's been a hurry for some reason. And she needed to delay going home as long as she can. She doubted that she could flat out tell him that so she tried to postpone their trip home by going Christmas tree shopping. What he didn't know was that, with the help of Chad, she already got the perfect tree set up and decorated back in their apartment. And so, here she stood, pretending to critically inspect the hundreds of pine trees in the area.

"How about we get a cup of coffee? I saw a coffee stand back there. Maybe when we come back a few minutes later, the perfect tree will be right here, waiting?" He recommended, wishing to just step away from these dame pine trees, even for just a moment.

Intertwining their hands, she smiled and acquiesced. They made their way to the coffee stand and paid for their coffee. And as they walked back, they came across a group of violinists. They stopped, sipped their coffee and just took in the moment, allowing the melodious music to surround them. And then snowflakes gently drifted through the air.

The young woman looked up and laughed, twirling like a little girl. The first snow of the season. Soon, snow blanketed Central Park in pure white, creating a Winter Wonderland, much to the numerous children's delight as they skated and created snow angels around the park as more thick snow fell around.

And just like that, the 'right moment' appeared.

Troy stood back and watched as his girlfriend looked up to the gray sky and the snow with wonder in her eyes. Right then and there, with the music playing in the background, he knew that this was it. He may have planned a very elaborate surprise but he should have known, when it came to anything Gabriella, nothing ever follows the plan.

"Ella?" Upon hearing her name, she spun around and saw Troy kneeling in front of her, much to her surprise. The shopping bags sprawled across the walkway and his coffee on the floor. He was taking something out of his pocket and a second later, he was clutching onto a velvet box.

She gasped. Gabriella's free hand flew up to her mouth and she really thought that she might faint right there and ruin what would have been otherwise a perfect proposal. If he was indeed proposing. Dear gawd, she really hoped he was.

Troy cleared his throat and locked his blue eyes on hers. "I've been planning for weeks now," he began, "At first, I though, 'Keep it simple'. And then I second guessed myself and thought that something more elaborate can better express what I feel for you. I had something planned tonight. We were suppose to go have dinner at your favorite restaurant at 6 but then you wanted to shop for trees and I couldn't say no. I had this speech planned for when I actually propose… but to tell you the truth, I don't remember any of it now."

The chill wind drifted in her face and it was then Gabriella realized that tears were running down her face.

"All I can really remember, all that I really know is that I love you…" Troy trailed and swallowed heavily before opening the box and presenting her with the ring. It was a simple diamond ring. Not too plain but not too over the top. It screamed her. "Gabriella Montez, will you marry me?"

It was such a simple admission, not an overtly ornate proposal. But one she knew was true. The radiant smile she sent his way calmed Troy. But her answer - or lack there of wasn't helping his nerves one bit.

Gabriella stared at this beautiful man kneeling in front of her and realized what true happiness really meant. Every hardship and tribulation that came their way, their tumultuous beginnings, awkward interactions in the office after everyone found out their relationship, all the highs and the lows, every moment that encompassed their life together culminated right to this moment.

Growing up, despite her rocky childhood with no father in sight, she'd often dreamt of a grand wedding. A perfect wedding meant for a princess. And of course, she needed a prince. Every girl wants a 'Prince Charming'. Hell, she wanted one herself. And she even deceived herself into thinking that Mark Davis was the 'Prince Charming' she was always dreaming about. And while having a 'Prince Charming' might be nice and all, after meeting Troy Bolton, she realized that she'd rather have the guy that's going to be there in the midst of her paranoia and fear, calmly standing and giving her strength. Someone who will stop by her apartment after just hanging up the phone because he couldn't wait to see her again. Someone who will call her at the early parts of the morning just to tell her he loves her because forgot to say it that day. Someone who leaves white lilies in her office and anywhere else because he's out of town in business. Someone who goes around New York trying to find a particular brand of chocolate she likes because the grocery store she usually frequents ran out of it. Someone who's willing to watch a chick flick despite Chad's taunts and quips about him being 'whipped'. He may not be the archetypal 'Prince Charming' that she grew up dreaming about. He may be forgetful at times, missing dates and outings because he was in a meeting. He may sometimes ignore her during football season. And basketball season. And baseball. He may complain when they go shopping. He may always leave the toilet seat up. He may snore. Loudly. He may not be the archetypal 'Prince Charming' but he was all hers.

"How do you feel about being a Daddy?" she asked instead.

He stared bewilderedly at her, unsure of whether or not she actually heard his proposal. The fact that she asked him about being a father didn't click in his mind but when it did, Gabriella nearly cried all over again at the happiness she saw in his face.

"I'm pregnant, babe." She properly announced.

He couldn't get up from his feet fast enough to touch her stomach. "You mean - there's a… a child growing in there?"

Gabriella blinked and nodded. His gaze remained on her face. The love in his eyes shook her to the core. "It would be an honor to be your wife and the mother of your children, Troy Bolton."

Troy drew breath at hearing her answer. "I love you." He spoke the words clearly, his blue eyes locked on brown ones.

She stretched up and wound her arms around his neck. "And I love you." Invitingly drawing him near her, not caring if the rest of the park's inhabitants saw, she kissed him passionately, lovingly.

He drew back to look at her again. "Tell me again."

"You're gonna be a daddy."

"And you're gonna be my wife."

She laughed. She couldn't help it. Not when she finally got everything she wished for. And he laughed along side her, elated at the prospect of being both a husband and a father.

After that, they needed no words to show how strongly they felt for each other. They were much better with actions, with the pleasure and sensations their touches brought, with the love their kisses proved.

It has been said, time and time again, that love, like all things in life, is ever elusive. So when you find it, hold on to it for dear life because true love comes but once in a lifetime. With love, no one ever has a choice, you collide and just fall. If you're lucky, you end up falling for a guy that's willing to move heaven and earth for you. Their love story might have just started with a one night stand but for Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, that one night soon turned into something more, so much more. For Troy and Gabriella, it was the start of forever.

* * *

Well, there it is, the end of _Collide_.

To everyone who reviewed and to the 50-some readers who put this story in their favorites and the 90-some readers who put this in their FF alerts, I cannot thank you enough. I hope you enjoyed the journey and I hope I didn't disappoint.

As always, reviews are much appreciated.


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